


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap.IE!Z3Copyright No.. 

Shelled J> J, 4 5 C 


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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Copyright, 1896, 

BY 

THE IRVING COMPANY 


TO 

MY DEAR MOTHER 

THIS STORY 
is 


LOVINGLY DEDICATED. 







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CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I. page 

The Newbury Harvest Home. 7 

CHAPTER II. 

A Visitor at the Farm-House 17 

CHAPTER III. 

Picking Wild Grapes 22 

CHAPTER IV. 

A Surprise 25 

CHAPTER V. 

Edna’s Dream 31 

CHAPTER VI. 

A Disappointment 36 

CHAPTER VII. 

In the Art Gallery 43 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Edna Prepares to Teach 47 

CHAPTER IX. 

Teaching School 58 

CHAPTER X. 

Ernest and Oliver 66 


VI 


CONTENTS. < 


CHAPTER XI. page 

At Washington. . - 70 

CHAPTER XII. 

Edna’s Visit to Marion 82 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Spring 96 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Vacation 110 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Meeting 124 

CHAPTER XVI. 

The Wedding 132 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Edna’s New Home 142 


A COUNTRY GIRL 


CHAPTER I. 

THE NEWBURY HARVEST HOME. 

It was a beautiful afternoon in September. 

Edna Carey sat on the back porch of the old 
farm-house peeling peaches for her mother, who 
was in the kitchen canning and preserving. 

Edna was not paring very rapidly. Evidently 
her mind was not on her work, for every few min- 
utes she would pause and gaze absently at the 
pleasant view before her. At the grape arbor 
laden with its luscious fruit, at the meadow be- 
yond where the cows were contentedly grazing, at 
the golden rod up and down the road and along 
the hillside, and at the peach and apple orchards 
in the distance. 

Edna had lived all the twenty-three years of 
her life on this farm and had always been happy 
and contented. 

She had attended school at the little old school- 
house in Blackberry Hollow until she was 
eighteen, and since then she had lived quietly at 
home with her parents, her brother and little 
sisters. 


8 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


Until the past few months she had been per- 
fectly contented with her lot in life. 

She had enjoyed doing housework, sewing, and 
whatever she could do in and out of the house. 

Then there were the pleasant drives to church 
on Sunday morning and to Sunday-school at the 
school-house in the afternoon. 

Then often of an afternoon through the week 
she would run across the fields to see her old 
schoolmate and friend Gertie Wade, who for the 
past few years had taught school in the neighbor- 
ing district, which was about a mile from her home. 
And then of course Gertie often came to see her, 
generally of a Saturday afternoon. And some- 
times Gertie would be going to Harrisville on an 
errand and would stop for Edna, and the two 
girls would have a pleasant drive together. 

But of late this had all been changed. Gertie 
was engaged to be married to a young blacksmith, 
who called upon her so frequently that Gertie’s 
thoughts seemed entirely taken up with him, and 
she seemed to have forgotten even Edna, the 
playmate of her childhood and the most intimate 
friend of her girlhood. 

She never came to visit Edna any more, and 
Edna of course did not like to do all the visiting, 
particularly as Gertie seemed so very busy when- 
ever she went there, either cooking, baking, or 
sewing, that Edna feared she interrupted her. 

Then, too, Edna and Gertie had always confided 
in each other, telling each other their little 
secrets, their joys and sorrows, and had been at 
all times the best of friends. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 9 

But to return to this particular September after- 
noon. 

Edna was feeling rather more lonely than usual, 
for that morning the last of their summer visitors 
had returned to their city homes. Edna had en- 
joyed having them there, as she loved to hear 
them talk of their amusements in the city, their 
friends, etc. 

But now they were all gone and Edna was 
feeling very sorrowful, which was very unusual 
for her. 

“How I do wish something real nice would 
happen,” she said to herself. “Nothing of any 
importance ever has happened to me, and I feel 
so tired and miserable I don’t know what to do.” 

Just then her brother Arthur approached her 
and said: 

“Edna, put away those peaches till to-morrow 
and hurry and get supper early, and we will go 
to the harvest home at Newbury.” 

“Oh, dear!” exclaimed Edna, “we have been to 
so many harvest homes this summer, Arthur, 
that really I don’t feel like going to another.” 

“Oh, yes, you do. I met Ethel Grey this after- 
noon and she said you must certainly go, as she 
wished to see you for a particular reason.” 

“Very well, then. I’ll go if mother is to go 
too.” 

“Then those young ones will want to go, and I 
don’t want to bother with them.” 

Just then Mrs. Carey appeared in the doorway 
and wanted to know what they were talking about. 

“Why, I have been telling Edna about the har- 


10 


A COUNTRY 01RL. 


vest home to-night, and I want her to go with 
me. I saw Ethel this afternoon and she expressed 
a great desire to see Edna there. I should like 
you to go too, mother, hut then Minnie and Lot- 
tie will want to go and they are such a bother. 
Here they come now. Make them get supper 
while you and Edna get ready. ” 

Just then the two girls came running up the 
steps exclaiming: 

“We want a watermelon, mamma. Are there 
any down cellar? I must have one right away.” 

“Go and put away your books and hats first,” 
said Mrs. Carey. 

“And then go get supper ready. The melon can 
wait awhile, I guess,” said Arthur. 

“Get supper! What for? It is not time yet,” 
said Minnie. “Oh, I know — you are goingto the 
harvest home at Newbury. I heard the girls at 
school talking about it. Fm going too — Fm going 
too!” she exclaimed, dancing around her mother. 

“Not this time. You went enough during vaca- 
tion to satisfy any school-girl, and now that school 
has begun the best thing you can do is to stay at 
home and learn your lessons.” 

“No such thing. I can get my lessons well 
enough in school, and I have as much right to go 
as Edna has. She is an old maid anyhow, and 
does not need to go. She never has anything to 
say to any of the young men, while every one else 
of her age either has a beau or is married; but Ed- 
na — why, I’ll be married myself before she is,” said 
she, looking saucily at Edna. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


11 


Edna looked indignant, but said nothing, and 
Minnie and Lottie were sent into the house to get 
supper while Edna helped her mother finish 
canning. 

At the table Minnie began coaxing her mother 
to let her go, and her father hearing her said : 

“She may as well go, as there will be plenty of 
room in the carriage, and how is it with you, 
Lottie V’ 

“Oh, I will stay at home with you, papa. I 
have a hard arithmetic lesson for to-morrow.” 

“That is just what Minnie should do,” said 
Arthur; “there is no sense in her having to go 
everywhere we older ones do. To-morrow she 
will not half know her lessons, and it is high time 
she began to learn something.” 

“Don’t you worry. I know as much as you do 
now, and I am going to-night too, and I’ll have 
more fun than either you or Edna, just see if I 
don’t,” said Minnie. 

“You may go this time, then after this you 
must stay at home more, for I know you cannot 
have perfect lessons at school after being up half 
; the night before,” said her mother. 

Then they arose from the table, Arthur going 
to the barn and his mother and sisters going to 
their rooms to dress, save Lottie, who was left to 
wash the dishes. 

A few minutes later Edna came down again 
dressed in a very pretty white dress and white 
hat. Going to the garden to look for some flow- 
ers, she selected some heliotrope, which grew 


12 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


in abundance in the flower beds, and fastened a 
spray of it on her dress and some in her hair. 

It was a five-mile drive to Newbury, and about 
sunset when they reached the grounds where the 
festival was held. 

There was such a crowd of people there that for 
some time Edna could not find any one she knew. 

But Minnie found one of her school-boy friends 
at once and was off with him before her mother 
could restrain her. 

Presently Edna found her friend Mrs. Grey — 
Ethel as they called her. She was a very pretty 
woman about twenty-eight years old. She and 
her husband had lived in Harrisville, where the 
Careys attended church, ever since they were mar- 
ried. Her husband was second cousin to Edna, 
but Edna had only just begun to get acquainted 
with her, for when she was a few years younger 
she did not care for the companionship of those 
older than herself, but when she had become ac- 
quainted with Ethel at a Christian Endeavor 
sociable they had become very fond of each other. 

She was soon chatting with her and presently 
j exclaimed : 

‘ ‘Ethel, who is that gentleman mother is talk- 
ing with?” 

“Why, that is Mr. Atherton ; don’t you remember 
him? He used to preach as a supply in our 
church several years ago, before Mr. Wilson 
came.” 

“Oh, yes, I am sure I ought to remember him; 
he used to stay at our house over Sunday quite 
often. I remember, too, how shy of him I was.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


13 


“I don’t see why yon should have felt that way, 
for I think he has always been very friendly in his 
manner,” said Ethel, laughing. 

“ I know it, but I stood in awe of him because 
he knew so very much and I so little, and he was 
so refined and polished and I felt that I appeared 
just the opposite. I wonder if he has forgotten 
me. I hope he has.” 

“You have no need to wish that, 1 am sure, and 
I don’t believe he has forgotten you, either, for 
he seems to remember every one.” 

Presently Mrs. Oarey and Mr. Atherton drew 
near where Ethel and Edna were sitting and Mrs. 
Carey said : 

“Edna, do you not remember Mr. Ather- 
ton?” 

They were soon talking pleasantly together. 
Edna felt a little shy at first, but she soon forgot 
herself in listening to Mr. Atherton. 

When Edna was seventeen years old she was 
tall, awkward, and bashful for one of her years. 
Her shyness caused her to appear more awkward 
than she would have been had she been able to 
think less of herself. 

Mr. Atherton, then a young man at the uni- 
versity, had been rather a frequent visitor at their 
house, for their church was then without a pastor, 
and as Mr. Carey was one of the elders of the 
church and Mrs. Carey was much interested in 
church affairs, they often entertained the ministers 
who preached as supplies. 

As we have said, Edna was then a bashful school- 
girl who wore her dresses much shorter than girls 


14 


A COUNTRY GIRL , 


of her age usually wear them, and her hair in a 
long braid down her back, was fond of having 
company in the house, but generally kept out 
of the way as much as possible, leaving her mother 
to entertain her visitors while she did the house- 
work. 

She had admired Mr. Atherton, as he was very 
lively and entertaining, always telling some in- 
teresting story of his college life, and Edna had 
admired, although she stood in awe of him. 

Since that time they had neither seen nor heard 
of him. 

During the years that had passed since then 
Edna had improved very much in every way. 
She had lost much of her awkwardness, wore more 
becoming dresses, and arranged her hair in a be- 
coming manner. 

She read and studied all the spare time she had, 
and during the winter months she had quite a 
good deal. She had taken a few piano lessons 
and could play hymns, songs, accompaniments, 
and a few easy marches and waltzes. 

Edna was pleasant and agreeable to all the 
young people of the neighborhood when they met 
at sociables, picnics, etc., but her own particular 
school friends had all left, excepting Gertie, either 
for homes of their own, or to teach school, or to 
earn their own living in some other way. 

She, however, encouraged the attentions of the 
young men, which amused her little sister Minnie 
very much, and she often said to her: 

“Edna, I’ll be married myself before you are. 
You surely are cut out for an old maid." 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


15 


But to return to the harvest home. There was 
an entertainment to be held in the church, and 
Ethel, Edna, her mother, and Mr. Atherton all 
went in together. Edna looked around for Min- 
nie and saw her with Harry Clark, her favorite 
schoolmate, and several other girls and boys. The 
entertainment consisted of recitations and music 
and was very interesting, especially to Ethel and 
Edna, as they were both very fond of music. 

When it was over they went outside again, for 
the church was crowded and very warm. 

Outside there was a large tent where the sup- 
per-tables, ice cream and confectionery stands 
stood. 

“Miss Carey/ * said Mr. Atherton, “are you as 
fond of music as you used to be?” 

“Yes, I am,” Edna replied, smiling; “but how 
did you know that I was particularly fond of it?” 

“I remember hearing you say so one time 
several years ago when I had the pleasure of stay- 
ing at your home.” 

“I do not remember ever saying so to you; in- 
deed, if I remember correctly, I had very little to 
say to you on any subject. Sometimes you would 
try to draw me into conversation, but it was of no 
use. I generally made my escape on the plea of 
some important household matter.” 

Mr. Atherton laughed and said: 

“I know you used to be very shy of me and I 
never could tell the reason, for I never thought 
there was anything very awe-inspiring about 
me.” 

Edna laughed too as she said: 


16 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


“I think I felt shy of any one at that time 
whom I considered well educated, and those who 
were not I cared little or nothing about. ” 

He then said: 

“Will you not come and have supper with 
me?” 

“Oh, thank you, but I have had my supper.” 

“So have I, but it is so long since that I feel as 
though I could eat another; so come along and be 
company for me.” 

They were soon seated at one of the prettily 
arranged tables, and Edna at once forgot her 
slight embarrassment in listening to Mr. Atherton’s 
conversation, which was always intelligent and 
refined. 

And so the evening passed swiftly away, and 
when the time came to go home Mr. Atherton 
said: 

“Your mother has kindly invited me to take 
tea at your house to-morrow evening, and I think 
I shall avail myself of the pleasure.” 

“I am sure we shall all be glad to have your 
company,” Edna, replied, blushing. 

After searching for Minnie for some time they 
started for home. 

“Minnie, where have you been all the time? I 
have scarcely seen you at all,” said Mrs. Carey. 

“Oh, I have been having such a good time, 
mamma. You know you all warned me that it 
would be the last time I should go out of an even- 
ing for a long time to come, and so I just made 
up my mind to have all the fun I could while I 
had the chance.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


17 


CHAPTER II. 

A VISITOR AT THE FARM-HOUSE. 

The next morning Minnie did not appear until 
the others were through breakfast; then she came 
down cross and sleepy. 

“Well, miss,” said Arthur teasingly, “do you 
think you will know your lessons this morning?” 

“It’s none of your business whether I do or 
not,” she replied sharply. 

“Miss Hayes will think it her business, though, 
and you had better be careful or you will be put 
back into the primary class.” 

Minnie did not deign to reply to" this and 
Arthur went out to his work. 

Mrs. Carey and Edna were very busy all the 
forenoon canning more peaches and pears and 
preparing dainty dishes for supper. 

Shortly after four o’clock in the afternoon Mr. 
Atherton arrived, and a few minutes later Minnie 
and Lottie came noisily in at the kitchen door, 
and not finding any one there or in the sitting- 
room rushed into the parlor, much to Edna’s an- 
noyance. 

“Oh, I thought there must be company here!” 
exclaimed Minnie, not in the least embarrassed. 

“These little girls must be Minnie and Lottie, I 
guess,” said Mr. Atherton, smiling. “I wonder 
whether you remember me, Miss Minnie?” 


18 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


“I do not think I would have known you had 
not some one last night told me who you were, and 
I can just remember your being here sometimes 
when I was a little bit of a girl, and now just see 
how tall I am,” said Minnie, straightening up and 
throwing her shoulders back. 

“Yes, I see you have grown very much taller. 
How old are you?” 

“I am 'twelve and Lottie is eleven.” 

“And how do you get along at school? Nearly 
ready to graduate, I suppose, and expecting soon 
to enter normal school or college,” he continued, 
laughing. 

“There, now, you are making fun of me just as 
you used to do. No, I am not ready to graduate; 
no one ever does at our school; they just keep on 
going till they are too old or are old enough to 
stay at home and be young ladies.” 

“Well, what then?” 

“Oh, then after awhile they either get married, 
or go off and teach in some primary school, or 
dressmake or something.” 

“And which of those things do you propose to 
do?” 

“Oh, I don’t know. When I get to be fifteen 
or sixteen I should love to go to boarding-school 
and have a grand time, but I don’t suppose papa 
will let me go, for he wouldn’t let Edna. Any- 
way that is a long way off, and I mean to have 
all the fun I can now.” 

“Come now, Minnie, you and Lottie come and 
help me get supper,” said their mother, rising. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 19 

And both girls unwillingly followed her from the 
room. 

“And how was it with yon, Miss Carey— were 
yon as anxious to go to boarding-school as Minnie 
says she is?” said Mr. Atherton, turning to Edna 
as the door closed after the retreating figures of 
Mrs. Carey and the two children. 

“Yes, I was quite anxious to go, but not for 
just the reason that Minnie is, perhaps, but I 
thought it would be a great advantage to me in 
many ways but papa would not listen to it, par- 
ticularly asl did not intend to teach. My teacher 
took a great deal of interest in me and urged me 
to prepare myself for teaching, and I did go to the 
teachers’ examination and received a certificate, 
but I have never taught, as I always thought that 
I could not bear being talked of and found fault 
with by the parents of the children as they do in 
the country schools.” 

“Did you allow a little thing like that to keep you 
from engaging in so grand and noble an occupa- 
tion as teaching?” said he, smiling. 

“I do not call that a little thing,” Edna replied, 
blushing. “If you knew what trouble some of the 
teachers have with the parents you would not 
laugh, I know. And that is not the only reason 
why I could not teach. Mother did not seem 
anxious to have me do so and was glad to have my 
help at home, and at home I hava been nearly all 
the time.” 

“Have you been reading anything lately?” 

“Yes, I read quite a good deal, but not as much 


20 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


as I should like, as there is so much to do all the 
time.” 

When supper was over Minnie was anxious to 
show their visitor her pets, so he took his hat and 
went out with her and they were gone all the time 
Edna and her mother were washing the supper 
dishes. 

This annoyed Edna very much, for at supper 
Mr. Atherton had been telling them of places he 
had visited, people he had met, etc., and all this 
had interested Edna very much, and she was 
anxious to hear more of it. 

She had thought, “When supper is over and 
father and Arthur are at the barn, Minnie and 
Lottie can wash the dishes while mother and I 
talk with Mr. Atherton.” Then when he went 
off with her sister she said: 

“That is just like Minnie: she thinks that 
everyone who comes here is her company, whether 
they happen to be older than she or not.” 

“Never mind, they will be back in a few min- 
utes,” said Mrs. Carey. 

When the dishes were washed and put away, 
Mrs. Carey and Edna went out on the front porch 
and sat there talking for some time. Presently 
Mrs. Carey said: 

“Edna, suppose we invite Mr. Atherton to 
spend a few days of his vacation here, or should 
you not like it on account of the extra work?” 

“Oh, I should not mind that in the least, mother, 
and I should enjoy having Mr. Atherton here, as I 
love to hear him talk ; but perhaps he has other 
places to go and will not care to come.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


2l 

“Perhaps so, but I’ll ask him, anyway; hut I 
must see your father first and hear what he says. 
I am almost sure that he will be willing, for I 
know he has always been very fond of him. He 
used to say that he was glad to have Arthur know 
such men as Mr. Atherton.” 

Just then the young man joined them, Minnie 
and Lottie running along after him. 

They all enjoyed the evening and were sorry 
when their visitor arose and said it was time for 
him to go. 

Mrs. Carey then invited him to spend a few days 
at her house, but he declined, saying that his vaca- 
tion was about over, but that he had some business 
affairs at Newbury to attend to and would be 
obliged to be there again in a few weeks, and 
should be happy to visit them then. 

This arrangement suited Mrs. Carey just as well 
and the matter was satisfactorily settled. 


22 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER III. 

PICKING WILD GRAPES. 

The next morning when Minnie and Lottie had 
gone to school, Edna and her mother began peel- 
ing tomatoes to can. Edna was very busy for 
some time and did not talk over her work as usual. 

She peeled great panfuls of the large red toma- 
toes, and then having put them on the stove she 
had to keep bending over the hot fire to stir them, 
then put them in the cans. She generally enjoyed 
this kind of work, but this morning she felt rather 
impatient, she scarcely knew the reason why. 

She was busy in the kitchen until dinner-time. 

Mrs. Carey was inclined to talk over the events 
of the past evening, but Edna replied only in 
monosyllables, taking no interest whatever in 
what her mother said. 

When dinner was over and the rooms tidied up, 
Edna and her mother changed their dresses and 
sat down to their sewing. 

Edna sat and sewed for some time, then suddenly 
said: 

“Mother, I think I’ll take a basket and go 
and pick those wild grapes. It is quite time they 
were picked.” 

“Oh, never mind the grapes now. You are 
tired, I know, and the girls can pick them when 
they come from school.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


23 


“I know they could, but I am not tired and 
think I’ll go myself.” 

So putting on her bonnet and taking a large 
basket she started across the meadow until she 
reached the shallow winding brook where the 
wild grapevine grew and where the grapes hung 
in abundance. 

The shadows were already lengthening, and the 
meadow looked very pretty in the soft light. 

“How pleasant it is out here. I believe I have 
been cross to dear mother all day. She would 
have enjoyed being out here. I wish I had asked 
her to come, but perhaps she will when the chil- 
dren come from school. I believe I am lonely 
and that is why I have felt so stupid and cross all 
day. I never used to feel so and was always 
indignant if any one said to me, ‘How lonely you 
must be, having no sister near your own age.’ 
Gertie never comes to see me any more, but I 
don’t care, I am not going to her house again till 
she does. What a nice time we had last night, 
but I really believe that is what has made me feel 
so miserable to-day. Hearing Mr. Atherton speak 
of so many interesting things he has seen and 
heard has just made me feel that I am living a 
useless kind of life, being of no use to myself .nor 
any one else. But, there, I am not going to think 
any more such silly thoughts as that, and I am 
going to be just as cheerful and pleasant as I used 
to be, even though I do feel lonely sometimes. 
Here comes mother and the children now. I 
have not picked many grapes, but never mind, 


24 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


there is time enough yet before sunset, and we’ll 
have a good time together too.” 

“Oh, Edna, we want some grapes,” said Lottie; 
“how nice they smell, don’t they? There are 
some lovely ones ’way out on the branches of that 
tree; just see how easily I can get them.” 

“Oh, no, Lottie, you will fall,” said Mrs. Carey. 

But Lottie was already at the top of the little 
tree and reaching as far out as she dared. 

Minnie began chatting about the doings and 
sayings at school, eating grapes as fast as she 
could meanwhile, but this tended to make Edna 
feel a little sad, for it reminded her of the happy 
times she enjoyed at the same dear old school- 
house, as she sometimes called it. 

So the beautiful September days passed quickly 
by with plenty of work, a little reading now and 
then, and an occasional drive. 


A CO UN TUT GIRL. 


25 


CHAPTER IV. 

\ 

A SURPRISE. 

One afternoon a few weeks later Edna was at 
home alone. Not liking the loneliness of the house 
she took a book and went out to the hammock, 
which was under two large trees in the front yard. 
When tired of reading she closed her book and 
lay there dreaming and listening to the dropping 
of the hickory nuts in the meadow not far away. 

It was a perfect afternoon : the trees were turn- 
ing yellow and brown, the hills in the distance 
looked soft and hazy, and the air was so still that 
the least sound could be heard. 

So Edna lay there dreaming, and although the 
air was so still that she could hear the slight noise 
the nuts made as they fell to the ground, she was 
so lost in her dreams that she did not hear the 
gate open and shut and some one cross the yard, 
* until raising her eyes she saw some one standing 
; before her. 

Edna was startled for a minute and could not 
think who it was, then exclaimed : 

“Oh, Mr. Atherton, how you frightened me. 
I did not hear you come in. You must have 
stepped very softly.” 

Mr. Atherton laughed and said: 

“You were day-dreaming, I guess. I am sorry 


26 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


if I frightened yon. Now let me hear some of 
your dreams. I know by the expression of your 
face that they were interesting.” 

“Oh, no, not at all. That is, not to you, and I 
never tell my dreams to any one.” 

“Do you not? Well, I am sorry. Tell me then 
what you have been reading and perhaps I can 
tell from that in what direction your thoughts 
lay.” 

“Longfellow’s ‘ Evangeline,’ ” she replied, 
handing him the book. 

He took it and read part of it so beautifully 
that she begged him to go on. 

He read until he was tired, then paused and 
glancing over the fields said : 

“What a fine large hickory tree that is over 
there. Suppose we go and pick up some of the 
nuts before the squirrels get them all. I used to 
think it fine fun when I was a boy.” 

“I should like to, very well indeed, but I 
promised mother that I would not leave the 
house.” 

“Well, that is too bad, but I am sure that 
: awhile ago it made no difference whether you left 
it or not ; you were so lost in dreamland that any 
one might have come and carried the house away 
and you would not have known it.” 

Edna laughed and blushed, but did not reply 
to this, then suddenly excused herself and ran into 
the house, soon returning with a fruit basket of 
grapes. 

“How beautiful they are, but is it not late for 
grapes?” said Mr. Atherton, 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


27 


“Oh, no, we have some very nice ones yet. I 
think they are sweeter and nicer now than when 
they first began to ripen, and I thought you 
might be thirsty and would like some.” 

‘ * Indeed I was feeling very thirsty. I have had 
quite a walk and was about to ask for some water.” 

Edna was wishing she could get him talking of 
the books he read, as she was anxious to buy some 
new ones to read during the autumn and winter 
evenings. She desired to get the best_and scarcely 
knew just what she wanted. 

Presently he looked up from the grapes he was 
eating and said : 

“Miss Carey, have you ever taken up a regular 
course of reading? Now, I should think that you 
would have some spare time for reading during 
the winter, or do you read poetry and novels all 
the time?” asked he, smiling. 

Edna blushed and said to herself, “He must 
have read my thoughts,” then aloud she said: 

“No, sir, I never have, but I should like to, I 
think, only I do not know where to begin.” 

“Have you heard of the Chautauqua Circle?” 

“I have seen something about it in the papers, 
but I have never heard any one speak of it. Tell 
me about it, please.” 

So he told her all he knew about it, and as Edna 
expressed a desire to become a member he prom- 
ised to write for the books that evening. 

“Is there any one in the neighborhood whom 
you could ask to join with you? Or perhaps you 
might form a little circle among your friends and 
that would make it much pleasanter for you.” 


28 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


4 ‘No, I think not; not at present anyway. 
There is Gertie Wade, hut she is always studying 
for teachers’ examinations or preparing some 
school work, and says she never gets time even to 
read an interesting Sunday-school book. Then 
there is Ethel Grey, but she is most too far away.” 

“That seems a pity, for it is much pleasanter 
to read with others, and more profitable to be 
able to talk over one’s reading with others. Now 
I have a plan, provided your mother does not 
object.” 

“What is it?” inquired Edna, smiling. 

“That you write to me occasionally and tell me 
all about your reading, ask what questions you 
like, and I will reply and give you all the infor- 
mation and assistance I can.” 

“Oh, thank you, but I am afraid it will take 
too much of your time.” 

“Oh, no, do not worry about that. Then if 
your mother does not object it is settled that we 
are to correspond this fall and winter anyway?” 

“Yes, and I do not think mother will mind; 
she lets me do as I please mostly.” 

That evening after supper Edna brought her 
writing materials and Mr. Atherton wrote for the 
books, the Chautauquan , etc. 

The next morning he went away, saying that he 
must attend to his business that day and then he 
must return to his home. 

For several days after his departure Edna felt 
very lonely. During the mornings when there 
was plenty of work to do she would work as never 


A COUNTRY CTRL. 


29 


before, trying to forget her feelings and to hide 
them from her mother. 

One afternoon, feeling unusually lonely, it oc- 
curred to her that her books might have reached 
Harrisville by this time, so she asked her mother 
to come with her for a drive, and they started off 
quite happily. 

Upon arriving at the depot Edna, to her great 
pleasure, received her books. Then they turned 
toward the post-office. Edna ran in for the mail 
and was again made happy at finding a letter for 
herself ; as she had not expected one there was all 
the more pleasure in receiving it. 

“Here are two letters for you, mother, and a 
whole lot of papers and a letter for me.” 

And they drove home quite happily, Mrs. Carey 
reading her letters and talking of them to Edna. 

When they reached home Edna opened her let- 
ter and found it was from Mr. Atherton, asking 
whether she had received her books yet, etc. 

Then she eagerly opened the package of books 
and began admiring them. 

“I do love to get new books. Are they not 
beautiful, mamma? And you will read them too, 
this winter, will you not?” 

“Yes, I shall be glad to, if I can get time,” 
said Mrs. Carey. 

“Oh, you must take time; I’ll do more of the 
sewing so that you will have more time to read.” 

“You do enough now,” replied her mother, 
smiling. 

Edna spent the whole evening looking through 


30 


A COUNTRY GIRL , 


her books, admiring the engravings, cutting the 
leaves of her Chautauquan , etc. 

“ I am afraid you will not get along very fast 
with your reading, Edna, if you go on that way,” 
said Arthur. 

“Oh, yes, I will; I am going to begin to-mor- 
row. Shouldn’t you like to read the books too, 
Arthur? Mother is going to, and there will be 
three of us; quite a circle right in the family.” 

“No, I thank you, not this year. I have too 
much other reading to get through with.” 

“I should not think you would want to, either, 
Arthur, they look like such stupid, uninteresting 
books. You would not catch me reading one of 
them. I should want something more lively,” 
said Minnie. 

“Perhaps they might be of some benefit to you, 
Minnie ; put a little common sense into your head. J 9 

“Perhaps so, but my head is quite full of com- 
mon sense now,” Minnie replied. 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


31 


CHAPTER V. 
edna’s dream. 

Mr. Atherton came several times to Mr. 
Carey’s after this, and letters passed back and 
forth between himself and Edna quite frequently. 

Edna quite forgot to be lonely as the sunny 
October days flew by and the darker, duller ones 
of November came on, as she was unusually busy 
with reading and sewing when the housework was 
done. 

She was very fond of sewing, and did it so neatly 
that the neighbors who had large families of 
children often asked her to help them. In this 
way Edna earned quite a good deal of money, 
which she always saved. When she was about 
three years old her grandmother left her four 
hundred dollars, which had been placed in the 
savings bank for her and to which she had kept 
adding a little at a time ever since. Her mother 
had wished it used to finish her education, but 
Mr. Carey would not hear of her going to school 
and said that if she did not mean to teach the 
money would he entirely wasted. So Edna’s little 
bank account had not been touched, but was gain- 
ing a little all the time. And for some time past 
Edna had had a little plan, or dream, as she called 
it, about the use of it, which no one knew but 
herself. 


32 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


It was this : She meant to keep on adding to it 
till she should have a thousand dollars, and then 
some time when she should have a home of her 
own, for Edna felt sure that she would have one 
of her own some time, she would take the money 
and furnish a library in her home just to suit 
herself. 

She spent a great deal of time while sewing 
dreaming of her library and had it all planned 
many times just how the room should look. She 
would have it prettier than any other room in the 
house, etc. 

Edna had quite a number of books of her own, 
and it afforded her a great deal of pleasure to be 
able to add to the collection once in awhile. 

When she was a little girl it had always been 
her great desire to have one of the rooms of their 
house used as a library, but as she grew older she 
found that this was impossible and so resolved to 
wait till she should have a home of her own. 

About this time Minnie became possessed with 
the idea that she must take music lessons and 
that Edna must give them to her. 

Edna protested against this and said that she 
did not know enough about music. 

“Oh, yes, you do; you can teach me what you 
do know just as well as not.” 

So Edna promised to teach her sister, although 
rather unwillingly, for she thought she had quite 
enough to do without; then, too, she generally 
practiced in the evening herself, and now she 
must practice while Minnie was at school so that 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 33 

she might have the nse of the piano in the even- 
ing. 

So Edna’s time was well taken np with her 
various occupations. She was very happy too, for 
Mr. Atherton’s letters came regularly and they 
were always bright and full of news and so helped 
in many ways. 

When Christmas-time came Edna was obliged 
to give up some of her regular work for several 
days. For the Sunday-school was to have a Christ- 
mas tree in the school-house, and Mrs. Carey was 
on the committee for buying the gifts and Edna 
had some shopping of her own to do, and this 

made several long drives to K ; then after that 

the gifts must be labeled, and the candy boxes 
filled, and the tree trimmed, and Edna and her 
mother helped do this, so the routine of the Carey 
household was quite broken up for several days. 

Minnie and Lottie were much excited over it 
all. They were anxious to present a gift to each 
of their friends at school, and from the time they 
came home from school till they went to bed they 
beset Edna with questions, how to do this and 
how to make that. When their bed-time came 
they could hardly be induced upstairs and begged 
to be allowed to sit up till Edna and their mother 
went. 

But Mrs. Carey insisted on their going at nine 
o’clock, to Edna’s relief. One evening the older 
members of the family had company. Minnie 
and Lottie were sent upstairs at the usual time, 
and when Edna looked in the room a few minutes 
later they were apparently sound asleep. 


34 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


It was after twelve o’clock when Edna went np 
to her room, and when she had put the light out 
and was about to get in bed, she thought she 
heard movements in the next room. After listen- 
ing a minute to make sure, she lighted the lamp 
again, and going softly into the hall she listened a 
minute at the door of her sisters’ room, then 
opened the door. There was Minnie sitting up 
in bed with a shawl around her stitching away at 
some fancy wools which she intended as a present 
to one of her friends. 

Lottie was running across the room barefooted 
and was in the act of placing something on the 
bureau when she spied Edna in the doorway. 

“Oh!” she exclaimed and gave a jump, knock- 
ing the lamp over with her hand. Mrs. Carey 
heard the crash and ran into the room saying: 

“What is it, girls? What are you doing?” 

But no one answered her, for the oil had splashed 
on Lottie’s clothes which lay on a chair, and they 
were in flames. 

Edna caught up a pitcher of water and dashed 
it over them, but this only partly extinguished 
the flames, so she ran into the next room for more 
water. 

By this time Mr. Carey and Arthur were also 
in the room and the flames were extinguished 
after a good deal of trouble. 

“Now, girls, tell me how all this happened,” 
said their mother sternly. 

“It’s all Edna’s fault,” exclaimed Lottie, be- 
ginning to cry, while Arthur stood laughing at 
them. 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


35 


After awhile Mrs. Carey found out that Minnie 
and Lottie were sitting up in bed making Christ- 
mas presents, and as Lottie was about to place what 
she had completed on the bureau, she saw Edna, 
and being startled knocked over the lamp. At 
last they all became quiet and went back to bed. 

Edna always enjoyed Christmas Day, but she was 
happier than ever this Christmas, as she received a 
beautiful copy of “Ben Hur,” handsomely bound, 
with gilt edges and beautifully illustrated, from 
Mr. Atherton. 

On Christmas Day Edna wrote a long letter to 
her friend thanking him for her present and tell- 
ing him of her progress with her reading, etc. 

During the holidays there was very little time 
for reading, as Lottie was laid up with severe cold 
and sore throat, the result of her sitting up in 
the cold to make Christmas presents. So Edna 
was obliged to be continually running up and 
down stairs to wait on her. 

Lottie was very cross and impatient, not stop- 
ping to think that her sickness was all her own 
fault, and tried Edna’s patience in every possible 
way. Then Minnie was constantly practicing new 
exercises and coaxing Edna to help her, so that 
Edna told them that for her part she would be 
glad when their holidays were over. 


36 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


CHAPTER VI. 

A DISAPPOINTMENT. 

After New Year’s Day the two girls went back 
to school, and Edna soon returned to her old ways. 

In a few days she began to look and long for 
a letter from Mr. Atherton, as he generally wrote 
very regularly so that she received a letter every 
Saturday. 

Two Saturdays went by and Edna’s heart was 
full of longing; still she tried not to show it and 
went about the house as cheerful as ever. 

On the third Saturday afternoon Arthur went 
to the post-office and did not return till dark. 
Just as she was lighting the lamps he came in 
with a number of letters and papers in his hand 
and handed a letter to Edna. 

She took it without glancing at the postmark 
and rushed upstairs, her heart feeling very light 
all at once. 

On reaching her room she placed the lamp on 
the bureau and sat down on the bed to read her 
letter. 

Then as she opened it she saw that the hand- 
writing was not his, but that of a young lady who 
had been her schoolmate. 

Edna was fond of this young lady and was glad 
to receive her letters, but she was so disappointed 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


3 ? 


that the letter was not from Mr. Atherton that 
she hid her face in the pillow and cried for a 
long time. 

Then raising her head from the pillow she said: 
“How silly I am behaving! What would he think 
of me and what right have I to feel in this way 
anyway?” And her cheeks burned as the thought 
occurred to her that she loved Ernest Atherton 
and he had never spoken of such a thing to her, 
although he had led her to think that he thought 
a great deal of her. She arose, and going to the 
washstand stood bathing her eyes till they looked 
quite natural again. 

Then she went downstairs and set the table for 
supper. 

Her mother 'was about to ask her something 
about her letter, but glancing at Edna’s face de- 
cided to wait until the others had gone to bed, 
when she and Edna usually had a quiet little 
talk by themselves. 

Minnie and Lottie were as noisy and talkative 
as usual, asking their mother all manner of ques- 
tions about her letters, running to her to show 
1 her something in the new papers and magazines, 
coaxing Edna to do their arithmetic problems, 
etc., till her patience was nearly exhausted and 
she gave a sigh of relief when Minnie lighted 
her lamp and they went upstairs. 

Then Arthur said: 

“Now, Edna, since we can have a little peace 
let’s have a game of chess.” 

Edna did not feel at all like it, but she brought 


38 A COUNTRY GIRL. 

the board and sat down at the table, saying to her- 
self: 

‘‘Why should I refuse to have a game with 
Arthur when I know it will please him and he is 
always doing something for me?” 

So she played quite cheerfully till ten o’clock. 
Then when Arthur and Mr. Carey had gone 
upstairs Mrs. Carey and Edna sat by the fire a 
long while, Edna telling her troubles and disap- 
pointment and her mother listening and sympa- 
thizing. 

At last Edna said : 

“How very selfish I am, mother, to keep you 
here talking when I know you are tired out and 
ought to have been asleep long ago.” 

“Oh, I am not more tired than usual, and I am 
sure I should have been selfish if I could not have 
spared a few minutes to talk to you when I could 
see how badly you were feeling.” 

The next morning Edna went to church as 
usual, and as she had firmly resolved to be as 
cheerful as usual, no one knew that she was feel- 
ing at all depressed. 

When church was out Ethel came to Edna and 
invited her to go home to dinner with her. Edna 
at first declined, saying: 

“I cannot to-day, as there will be no way forme 
to get home, and I must be at home to-morrow to 
help mother with the washing.” 

“Oh, you can get home easily enough. I’ll 
ask Arthur to come for you this evening.” 

So she hurried away and in a few minutes came 
back smiling and said: 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


39 


“It’s all right. Arthur says he will come for 
you and now you have no excuse, so come right 
along.” 

Edna was not at all glad to go. She felt that she 
wanted to go home, where she could sit down 
quietly and not be obliged to talk to any one. 

When they reached the house Edna ran upstairs 
with Ethel to take oif her things, then played 
with the children till dinner-time. 

After dinner they went into the parlor and sat 
down for a long talk. Almost the first thing 
Ethel said was: 

“Edna, when have you heard from Mr. Ather- 
ton? Come, now, I want to hear all about him.” 

“I have not heard from him for a long time 
and do not wish to hear anything at all about 
him. ” 

“Have not heard for a long while! Why, how 
is that? I thought you corresponded regularly. 
Now, Edna, you are jesting, I know, and I do 
think you might tell me something about him. 
You know he is a friend of mine.” 

“I am sure I hope he is, Ethel, but do let us 
talk of something else. I must look at your 
books. I see you have more new ones. ” 

“Yes, I have, and you are welcome to take any 
of them home to read that you wish. How are 
you getting on with the Chautauqua reading?” 

“Very well indeed. I think the books are inter- 
esting as well as instructive, and the Chautauquan 
I think is better even than the books. Oh, what 
beautiful engravings, Ethel. Do let us look them 
over together.” 


40 


A COUNTRY GlfiL , 


So they seated themselves on the sofa with 
their arms around each other and thought oi 
nothing but pictures for some time — at least they 
appeared to think of nothing else. 

Presently Ethel said: 

4 ‘Edna, suppose we go to the Metropolitan Art 
Museum together some time.” 

“Oh, how nice that would he; I should like to 
go so much. When shall we go?” 

“Some day early in the spring, 1^ think; the 
weather will be so much pleasanter then.” 

“All right. I shall be thinking of it all the rest 
of the winter. Let’s just you and I go together. 
Don’t ask any one else.” 

“Very well; I will not if you do not wish it. 
We will have a real nice time together unless you 
change your mind before that time and decide to 
go with Mr. Atherton instead of with me. If you 
do I shall try not to feel jealous.” 

“Oh, Ethel, how can you talk so? I told you 
that I did not wish to hear his name mentioned.” 

“Why, what can you mean, Edna? Surely you 
like Mr. Atherton, do you not? I think there are 
very few men as fine as he; indeed, I do not see 
how you can help admiring him if you do not 
like him. Did you mean what you said about 
his not having written for so long a time?” 

“Yes, but that is not worth talking about, 
Ethel. I am trying not to care and think I should 
succeed if you would not keep continually teasing 
me about him. I have decided to have nothing 
more to do with him and to think nothing more 


A CO TIN TRY GIRL. 


41 


about him, but it’s awfully hard, for you know, 
Ethel, it’s been rather lonely at home lately for 
me, or rather I have felt that way and with no 
good reason either, I suppose. But since his visits 
at our house and since I have received his nice 
letters I have felt so much better, Ethel. You 
will think me foolish, I know, but I can’t help it. 
I would have said nothing about it if you had 
not asked me. Last night I thought the matter 
over and resolved to have no more such silly 
thoughts and feelings, and mean to act as though 
I was the happiest girl to be found within ten 
miles, and no more lonely than if there were any 
number of young people living near us who ran 
in and out of our house every hour or two all day 
long. Mother shall never know that I feel this 
way at times, for she is the best mother in the 
world, and she and ‘I are company for each other, 
and she is so good and kind to me that I would 
not have her worried about me for anything.” 

“How long is it since he has written, Edna?” 

“Oh, not for several weeks, but I don’t care, at 
least I’ll try not to care, and after awhile I’ll learn 
not to, I think.” 

“But perhaps Mr. Atherton has been sick or 
unusually busy. I would not give up looking for a 
letter yet. Perhapsyou will get one to-morrow.” 

“Oh, no, I do not think so. He has become 
tired of writing and just dropped it, that’s all, 
and I may as well do the same.” 

“I do not think so, Edna. From what Mr. Ather- 
ton said to me I know he thinks very highly of 


42 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


you. He said — but there, I will tell you no more, 
as your cheeks are getting so red.” 

4 ‘No, don’t let’s talk about it, Ethel; if any one 
else knew, how silly they would think me. I did 
not mean to tell even you, but now I am glad I 
have done so, for I feel better, and I am sure you 
will not tell any one else, will you?” 

So the afternoon passed and at twilight the 
children rushed into the room coaxing for a “sing” 
as they called it. Their mother went to the 
organ and played and sang several hymns with 
them. 

“How nicely they sing,” said Edna. 

“Yes, I am trying to teach them some of the 
easier hymns. Now I must go and see about sup- 
per.” And she hastened away to assist the servant 
girl. 

A few minutes later Arthur came in and they 
all gathered round the supper- table talking and 
laughing, Edna as bright and lively as the rest, 
only Ethel knew how she felt and was determined 
to help her if she could. 


A COUNTRY GIRL 


43 


CHAPTER VII. 

IN' THE ART GALLERY. 

One fine spring morning Edna and Ethel started 
for New York. They took an early train so as to 
have a long day. They were not to stay over 
night, as Mrs. Grey could not leave her children. 

The air was so soft and warm and it was so de- 
lightful to be off for a pleasure trip with only her 
friend Ethel, that Edna was in high spirits and 
laughed and talked all the way. 

When they reached the city Ethel said : 

4 4 Oh, dear, this noise makes my head ache.” 

“It does not affect mine in the least; I enjoy 
it,” said Edna. “Anything is pleasant for a 
change.” 

“I am glad you like it; I hope you will continue 
in that happy mood until we get home.” 

“Oh, I will; I have resolved to be pleased with 
everything, no matter what happens,” said Edna, 
laughing. 

Ethel laughed too, but shook her head, saying: 

“I do not believe you will; you will find it a 
very hard thing to do.” 

“Very well; you just watch me and see if I do 
not succeed. I’ll begin right away this very 
morning, and no matter what happens after I get 
home, for of course I shall be very happy all day 


44 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 

to-day. Why should I not? As I have said, no 
matter what happens after I get home, whenever 
yon see me yon will see the brightest-looking face 
that there is to be fonnd anywhere.” 

Soon they reached the Musenm of Art and 
Edna was so lost in admiration of the paintings 
that she forgot all else. 

They kept side by side for some time, then after 
awhile Ethel moved away and left Edna to her- 
self. 

Edna did not miss her nntil, wishing to speak 
to her abont something, she tnrned and fonnd that 
she was alone, bnt she did not mind this, think- 
ing: 

“Ethel jnust have become tired. I have been 
awfully slow, bnt these paintings are so beautiful 
I cannot help taking a long time at each one.” 

There were a number of other ladies and gentle- 
men in the room, bnt she took no notice of them 
nntil hearing a familiar voice she was startled, 
and glancing hastily around she saw Mr. Atherton 
with a beautiful young lady with him. She was 
tall and slender and very fair, with the loveliest 
blue eyes that Edna had ever seen. 

They were talking very earnestly in low tones, 
and Edna could see that Mr. Atherton gazed at 
his fair-haired friend admiringly, and that she 
too seemed very fond of him. 

As for Edna she felt miserable, and not wishing 
them to see her she turned quickly away, scolding 
herself as she went : 

^ “How very foolish I am. I might have known 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


45 


that he had found some one he cared more for 
than he did for me; besides, I thought I had given 
up caring for him.” 

She wandered around for a few minutes in and 
out among the crowds of people, not thinking of 
where she was going. Suddenly she met Mr. 
Atherton face to face. 

Edna was astonished, as she had thought that 
she was going in just the opposite direction to 
what he was. Feeling angry and hurt she scarcely 
knew how to act — indeed, she had not time to 
think, so she just gave him a cold stare and passed 
on to a window, where she stood for some time 
trying to regain her composure. Finally she said : 

“Now I must try to find Ethel; she cannot be 
far away. Oh, here she comes now.” 

“How are you getting on? I just ran away to 
get a catalogue. You seemed to be lost in admira- 
tion of that picture, and I thought I could get 
back before you missed me. You were not 
frightened, were you?” 

“Oh, no; I knew you could not have gone far. 
Is it not time we had a lunch? I feel quite 
hungry.” 

“I am surprised to hear such .a commonplace 
remark as that, but I really think it would be bet- 
ter for us both to have something to eat.” 

Later in the afternoon,- when they had looked at 
as many pictures as they could carry in their 
minds for some time, they went to a book store, 
where they both bought several books, and then it 
was time to go home. 


46 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


As they entered the car on the elevated railroad 
Ethel passed down the aisle toward the other end 
and Edna sat near the door. Just as she sat down 
Mr. Atherton and his friend came in, and as there 
were no other vacant seats, seated themselves 
right by her. Edna glanced up involuntarily and 
her eyes met his, but he neither bowed nor spoke, 
and she thought his face had rather a stern ex- 
pression, but he chatted as pleasantly with his 
friend as though Edna were an entire stranger to 
him. 

Edna glanced over to where Ethel was sitting on 
the same side of the car as herself, but there were 
no vacant seats there nor anywhere in the car, and 
she was obliged to remain where she was. Ethel 
smiled when she saw Edna lean over and look at 
her, but she did not see who was sitting near her. 

When they had gone a short distance Mr. 
Atherton and the lady left the car. 

The two friends were not together again until 
they reached Jersey City, where they took the 
train for Harrisville. Then they sat together all 
the way home. 

“Now I must do as I said this morning. What 
a silly girl I am anyway,” she said to herself, and 
immediately began talking of everything she could 
think of. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


47 


CHAPTER VIII. 

EDNA PREPARES TO TEACH. 

One warm spring afternoon Minnie came in 
from school, and throwing herself in a chair ex- 
claimed : 

“Oh, Edna, I wish we were rich.” 

“Why, what should you do if we were?” asked 
Edna, looking up from her work. 

“Oh, I would like to go to boarding-school; I do 
want to go so much. Nellie Waverly is going 
and wants me to go with her. I think it’s mean 
that I cannot. Papa could afford to send me just 
as well as not, but he won’t, I know. I think it 
is too bad some people can have all they want 
while others have almost nothing.” 

“When does Nellie expect to go to boarding- 
school — next September?” asked Mrs. Carey. 

“Oh, no, in about two years, I think.” 

“Perhaps we may be able to send you by that 
time, if you still wish to go when the two years 
have passed.” 

“If I could only make some money myself, 
mamma, but I don’t suppose I can. Papa would 
not let us raise any more poultry than we do 
now.” 

“I have a plan for you, Minnie. Should you 
like to hear it?” said Edna, smiling. 


48 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“Yes, if it is a good one. Do tell it,” said 
Minnie. 

“It is this: Dll stndy hard all summer and get 
a teacher’s certificate, then in the fall I’ll teach 
school while you take my place and help mother 
with the housework. Then I’ll save all the 
money I can spare toward paying your expenses 
at school.” 

“Won’t that be splendid? But you used to say 
that you would not like teaching.” 

“Well, I have changed my mind, and if mother 
consents I will begin studying at once.” 

“Yes, lam willing if you really wish to do it,” 
said their mother. 

“Oh, I am so glad. Now papa can make no 
objection if he does not have to furnish the 
money.” 

And so it was settled. Edna got out her books 
the next day and began studying very diligently. 

The examination did not take place until 
August, so Edna was obliged to look for a school 
before she secured her certificate. 

One morning early in the summer Edna and 
Minnie took a horse and buggy and drove off to 
see the trustees of several schools. Minnie was 
in high spirits and was sure that Edna would 
secure a school without any trouble. 

They drove several miles before they came to 
the school-house they were in search of. Then 
after making several inquiries they found the dis- 
trict clerk in the corn field plowing his corn. 

Edna left Minnie in the buggy while she went 
to the field to talk to him. 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


49 


Ater hearing what she wanted, he told her that 
as she had no experience in teaching she would 
not be able to control the pupils of his school at 
all, as there were a number of large boys and girls. 

Edna was disappointed, but thought it of no 
use to say anything more, so they drove on. 

They tried at two more districts, but these 
were both supplied with teachers, and as it was 
past noon and they were very warm and tired, 
they turned toward home. 

Minnie was even more disappointed than Edna. 
She had been so sure that they would succeed 
and they had failed completely. 

“Never mind, Minnie, we can try somewhere 
else another day,” said Edna. 

“Yes, I suppose so, but you will want to study 
and papa won’t be willing for us to have the horse 
so many times.” 

They waited for several days, then tried again 
without success. 

. The time for the examination was drawing near 
and Edna was studying with all her might. She 
would be more disappointed than Minnie if she 
did not pass the examination, for she had decided 
to make teaching her life-work and was anxious 
to begin as soon as possible. 

So she decided not to spend any more time 
looking for schools until the examination was 
over, and she felt that she needed every minute of 
her time for study. 

At last the dreaded day came, and after a long 
drive Edna reached the town where the examine 


50 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


tion was held, feeling tired, warm, and excited. 
After a long hard day’s work she was told that 
she could not know the result for several days. 

“I am glad it’s over anyway,” she said to Arthur 
on their way home, “but I suppose I shall be un- 
easy until I know whether I have passed.” 

“Well, don’t worry about it now, at any rate. 
I am sure you must have passed, for you studied 
hard enough. And now what do you think I 
heard to-day while waiting for you?” 

“Oh, I don’t know, I anTsure; something good, 
I hope. I should like better than^anything else 
to hear some good news just now.” 

“I don’t know whether you would call it good 
news or not, but guess, can’t you?” 

“Well, let me see. You have heard of a school 
that I can get?” 

“No; guess again.” 

“The price of potatoes has gone up?” said 
Edna, laughing. 

“No; I see I shall have to tell you,” said Arthur, 
laughing too. 

“Well, tell me, then, quick.” 

“Gertie and Will are married.” 

“They are! Why, how did you hear? Where 
were they married?” 

“Will’s brother told me to-day; he was here 
with a load of potatoes. He says that they did 
not know it till they saw it in the papers.” 

“How long have they been married?” 

“It was one day last week, I think.” 

“It’s a pity they could not have told their own 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


51 


folks. TV ell, I suppose Gertie is through teaching ; 
then perhaps I can get her school.” 

“No, she is to go on teaching, I believe.” 

“Well, that is a queer way to do — get married 
and then go on teaching school. A nice house- 
keeper she will be, I think.” 

A few days after this Edna received her certifi- 
cate, and she was so delighted at first that she 
scarcely knew what to do. Presently she said : 

“Now I must begin in earnest to look for a 
school, but I have not the least idea where else to 
look, and it’s quite time I had one engaged.” 

At the supper-table Arthur said : 

“Edna, I think I know where you can get a 
school.” 

“Oh, do you? Do tell me where it is.” 

“It is about two miles the other side of New- 
bury, called Spring Valley, I believe. And I think 
you had better start right off to-morrow morning 
to see about it.” 

“Let me go with her,” said Minnie. 

The next morning they started directly after 
breakfast, and after a very pleasant drive arrived 
at what they supposed was the Spring Valley dis- 
trict. Neither of them had ever been there be- 
fore, and so could not tell positively whether they 
had reached the place without inquiring. 

“I think it’s high time we asked some one,” 
said Minnie. “Let me get out and run and in- 
quire at that house there. I feel as though I 
should like to stretch my limbs.” 

“Well, run along, then. Don’t be long, though, 


52 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


as I am getting so anxious to have the matter 
settled one way or the other that I don’t know 
how to sit still.” 

Minnie was already out of hearing and soon 
came back, saying: 

“We are on the right road and Mr. Pierson, the 
district clerk, lives in the third house on the left- 
hand side of the road. Now let’s hurry up and 
get there as soon as possible.” 

When they reached the house which Minnie 
had been directed to they found Mr. Pierson sit- 
ting under a tree eating watermelon. 

He looked up as they drove up to him and 
said: 

“Good-morning, young ladies. What can I do 
for you?” 

“I have come to apply for the Spring Valley 
school,” said Edna. 

“Well, have some watermelon first, then we will 
talk school matters afterward.” 

Edna did not feel like eating any, but she 
thought it best not to decline. Minnie, however, 
was very thirsty and took a piece eagerly, saying : 

“Thank you, sir; I was just wishing for a piece 
and thought of stealing one on the road.” 

“Did you indeed! Now that would be a nice 
thing to do, would it not? and your sister a school- 
teacher too. Did she think of helping you? For 
if she did that is the end of the school question. 
I should be afraid she would be teaching the boys 
to steal instead of teaching them to read.” 

“No, I do not believe she was thinking of 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


53 


watermelons at all. Her mind was entirely upon 
school affairs.” 

“Well, miss, so you would like to have our 
school? Where did you teach last year?” 

“I have never taught at all,” Edna replied. 

“Been to normal school?” 

“No, sir.” 

“Have you a certificate?” 

“Yes; here it is,” and she drew it from the en- 
velope and handed it to him. 

He glanced at it, then handed it back to her, 
saying: 

“Well, I think we may as well come to terms. 
You have never taught, you say, but our school 
has never been troublesome, and I rather like the 
look of you and think you will get along. W e 
pay one hundred and twenty dollars a quarter, 
and I’ll board you for ten dollars a month if that 
suits you, unless you think the walk is too long; 
it’s about a mile to the school-house, but the other 
teacher did not complain of it. She taught there 
for several years, till this summer she secured 
a better position.” 

“I shall not mind the walk in the least, as I am 
fond of walking, but what about the other trus- 
tees — must I not see them too?” 

“Yes. I will draw up a contract and you can 
take it to the others to sign.” 

So he took Edna into the house, and after a 
short time, which seemed very long to Minnie, 
they came out again, Mr. Pierson talking very 
rapidly and appai ently giving Edna all sorts of 


64 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


instructions about the school. He then directed 
her how to find the other trustees and they drove 
on. As soon as they were out of sight of the 
house Minnie began laughing, and laughed so long 
and so heartily that Edna exclaimed : 

“Minnie, what can be the matter with you? 
You act as though you had lost your senses.” 

“Oh, he was so funny I can’t help laughing. 
Won’t I have a lot to tell Lottie! It sounded so 
funny to hear him say ‘draw up a contract.’ I 
wonder how we will find them at the next house.” 

“Hush! here we are now.” 

They stopped there for only a minute or two, 
then drove on to the next place. That being 
over they turned toward home. 

Edna gave a sigh of relief and said : 

“Well, that is over at last. I am so glad, for I 
did dread it so much. Now the next thing is to 
get ready for school.” 

“I did not dread it. Indeed, I enjoyed the 
whole thing. Won’t we have a lot to tell when 
we get home!” 

They reached home just at dinner-time and 
Minnie rushed into the house and entertained the 
whole family all dinner-time. 

A few days after this, Minnie, on returning 
from an errand to a neighbor’s, said: 

“Edna, Gertie has begun housekeeping. Let 
you and Lottie and I go and call on her just for 
fun.” 

“All right; when shall we go?” 

“This afternoon, can’t we? There is no use 
putting it off.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


85 


“I am willing. Let’s hurry through and get 
these apples peeled, for mother has a headache, 
and we must not leave her unless everything is 
done.” 

When the time came Minnie said : 

“Let’s dress up in our best just for fun. Lot- 
tie, put on your pretty pink dress.” 

“I’m not going,” said Lottie. 

“Not going! Why not?” 

“Because mamma will be left all alone. You 
and Edna go; I had much rather stay with 
mamma.” 

“You don’t know what you will miss. Gertie 
has that little house all furnished from top to bot- 
tom with nice new things.” 

They found Gertie at home in the house nearly 
opposite the blacksmith’s shop. She seemed 
pleased to see them and insisted on their taking 
off their hats. 

After a few minutes’ conversation she said : 

“Now I must take you all through my house.” 

Minnie was delighted when she heard this, and 
skipped around after Gertie, admiring and com- 
menting upon everything she saw. 

“And you intend to continue teaching, Gertie?” 
said Edna when they had sat down again. “I 
should think you would rather stay at home in 
this nice little house.” 

“Oh, yes, I’m not tired of teaching, and I want 
to earn some more money before I stop. I can 
easily do my work before and after school. Since 
there are only two of us it will not take me long.” 


56 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“How will you manage about your husband’s 
dinner — let him get it himself?” 

“No, I’ll leave a lunch ready for him and we 
can have dinner at night.” 

“Gertie, did you know that Edna is to begin 
teaching in September?” 

“Why, no. I had heard nothing of it. Is it 
true, Edna, or is Minnie only jesting?” 

“Yes, it is quite true. I shall begin the first 
Monday in September.” 

“Have you been to examination, then?” 

“Yes, and received my certificate several days 
ago.” 

“Well, I am surprised. Whatever started you, 
Edna? You used to think you would not like it, 
and here you are ready to begin without ever 
saying a word to any one. But you have not told 
me yet where you are to teach.” 

Edna and Minnie stayed much longer than they 
had intended, and when they rose to go Edna 
said: 

“I suppose there is no use in asking you to come 
and see me, Gertie. You will think that you 
have less time to spare than ever.” 

“Oh, yes, I’ll come sometimes and you must 
come and see me, for I shall want to hear all about 
your school.” 

“Gertie,” said Minnie, “why didn’t you have 
a wedding when you were married and invite us 
all? I think it would have been just splendid.’ 

“Oh, because it would have been too much 
trouble, and I could not bear to have_so many 


67 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 

looking at me, and that’s the reason why we told 
no one nntil afterward — we didn’t want any one 
there but ourselves.” 

“Such an idea!” exclaimed Minnie. “When I 
get married I am going to have as large a wedding 
as I possibly can.” 

“Oh, there is plenty of time for you; don’t be- 
gin talking of your wedding yet. You had better 
he thinking of your school-books.” 

“Oh, I can think of them and other things too. 
Nellie and I have planned our weddings a great 
many times.” 

“Just hear that child talk, Edna, 
take after you, does she?” 


She doesn’t 


58 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER IX. 

TEACHING SCHOOL. 

One bright Monday morning in September 
Arthur took Edna to her school. 

She went to her boarding-place first, where she 
received so many instructions and admonitions 
from Mr. Pierson that she began to feel very im- 
patient with him. 

“I don’t believe I shall be able to like that man 
at all,” she said to Arthur as soon as they were 
out of his hearing. 

“Don’t pay any attention to what he says. He 
doesn’t know what he is talking about.” 

When they reached the school-house there was 
no one there yet, and Edna was not sorry, as she 
wished to be there before her pupils. 

On opening the door she found that the build- 
ing had been freshly cleaned and everything was 
in good order. Presently the children began to 
come by twos and threes, all anxious to see the 
new teacher. 

Edna went to work at once, looking over books, 
arranging classes, etc. She became so interested 
in her work that four o’clock came long before 
she was ready for it. 

However, when the children had all gone and 
she was left alone in the school-house, she found 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 59 

that she was tired enough, and was glad to sit down 
and think over her work for the next day. 

Then she went to the library, and selecting a 
hook sat down and read until five o’clock, for she 
felt that she preferred being alone a little while 
to talking with strangers, as she called Mr. Pier- 
son and his family. When five o’clock came she 
put on her hat and gloves and started, knowing it 
would not do to delay any longer. 

She found the walk very pleasant and was 
rather sorry when she reached the house. As 
soon as Mrs. Pierson saw her she exclaimed: 

“'Why, I thought you must he lost and was just 
coming to look for you. Guess you kept some of 
the children in, didn’t you?” 

“Ho, I was there alone, reading,” Edna replied. 

“Well, you must like the school -house. Seems 
to me if I was there all day with a lot of hoys and 
girls, I would be glad to get away as soon as 
school was out.” 

Edna had not much time for reading that even- 
ing, as Mr. Pierson kept talking about schools, 
teachers, etc., in the most tiresome manner, and 
she was relieved when bed-time came. 

The next evening, Edna being anxious to find 
out something about the parents of her pupils, 
where they lived, etc., she began asking various 
questions of the talkative Mr. Pierson. 

He was perfectly willing to answer her ques- 
tions, and talked for some time about this neigh- 
bor and that, until Edna began to understand 
where they lived, what kind of people they were, 


A COUNTRY CTRL. 


etc. Presently she discovered that Mr. Ather- 
ton’s old home was only about a mile from where 
she was. 

“How sorry I am,” she said to herself. “I 
might have known that it was somewhere near 
here, though, as he used to come to Newbury so 
often, but I never once thought of it. Oh, dear, 
I do hope I shall never meet him anywhere 
around here. If he finds out that I am teaching 
this school, he may think I chose this particular 
one on purpose.” 

“Those Athertons are a wonderfully smart 
family,” continued Mr. Pierson. “Perhaps you 
have heard of Ernest Atherton? He is a minister.” 

“I have heard him preach quite a number of 
times,” said Edna, blushing. 

“Have you, though? He is a smart fellow, isn’t 
he?” 

“Yes, rather,” said Edna, wishing she could 
run up to her room and hide her blushes and her 
indignation. 

“I might have known better than to ask him 
any questions,” she said to herself. 

Mr. Pierson continued talking of the Athertons 
until past his usual bed-time. He told Edna all he 
could think of about Ernest and his parents and 
all his brothers and sisters. 

She tried to feel as indifferent as she would if 
she had never heard of the Athertons, but she 
could not, and was glad when at last Mr. Pierson 
got up and wound the clock and said : 

“Well, I guess it’s about time I went to bed.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


61 


A few days after this Edna received an invita- 
tion from one of her pupils to go home with her 
and spend the night. 

She did not like the idea much, hut thought it 
would be just as agreeable as being obliged to sit 
and listen to Mr. Pierson’s long talks. 

So she soon became acquainted with the parents 
of her pupils. 

When school was out Edna sometimes felt very 
homesick, and was glad to get away by herself 
with a book where she could read and dream as 
much as she liked without being disturbed. She 
found some excellent books in the school library 
and read them eagerly. 

Every Friday afternoon when school was closed 
for the week, Edna went home to spend Satur- 
day and Sunday. Her mother generally came for 
her, and such nice long talks as they had on the 
way home. 

And such good times as she had on Saturday, 
helping Minnie and Lottie pick apples, nuts, etc. 
Then they took long walks in the woods, gather- 
ing pretty leaves and mosses. Then when Mon- 
day morning came again she would go back to 
school feeling quite refreshed and eager to begin 
her school work again. 

One morning early in October when Edna 
reached the school-house she found a little girl 
waiting on the steps whom she had not seen be- 
fore. 

“Good-morning. I guess I have a new scholar,” 
said Edna, smiling. 


63 


A GO UN Til Y GIRL. 


“Yes, I have not been before this year, but I 
came last year. My name is Lucy Burnett and 
yours is Miss Carey, is it not?” said the little girl, 
smiling in return. 

By this time Edna had opened the door and 
taken off her hat. She then looked at Lucy’s 
books, and having assigned her lessons for the day, 
said: 

“How old are you, Lucy?” 

“Eight, going on nine. I’ll be so glad when 
my birthday comes,” she replied. 

Edna smiled as she said: 

“Why did you not come when school first 
opened?” 

“Because mamma and I were away on a visit. 
I was sorry to miss school, but I couldn’t help it, 
and now I am going to study just as hard as I can 
and perhaps I can make up the time I have lost, 
as I can study faster than most girls of my age, 
so the teacher said last year.” 

The following week Edna’s new pupil came to 
her one day and said : 

“Miss Carey, will you come home with me to- 
morrow after school? Mamma and grandma both 
want you to come, and I should love to have you. 
I love you better than any teacher I have had.” 

Edna promised to go, and the next morning as 
she was starting for school said : 

“I will not be here to-night, Mrs. Pierson.” 

“Goin’ away again, hey? Well, you do a great 
deal of runnin’ around, seems to me. I tell Mr. 
Pierson you are no company for me at all, for you 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


63 


are at home from Friday till Monday, and when 
you should be here you are all over at the neigh- 
bors’.” 

“I am sorry, Mrs. Pierson, but I think it neces- 
sary that I become acquainted with the parents of 
my pupils.” 

“Well, I s’pose ’tis, but you are the only teacher 
I ever saw do so much visitin’. The other 
teachers used to visit the ones they liked best and 
let the rest go; for my part I think that the best 
plan.” 

Edna did not reply to this, but went on to 
school. 

As soon as school was out that afternoon Lucy 
hurried her teacher off, so anxious was she to have 
her mother see her. Lucy chatted all the way 
home about her visit at New York, her friends, 
etc. 

When they reached the house, which was very 
large and pleasant-looking, Lucy threw open the 
door, and dancing into the sitting-room exclaimed : 

“This is my mamma and my dear grandma,” 
giving the latter a hug. 

Both ladies welcomed Edna cordially, and she 
soon began to feel at ease with them. 

The room in which they were sitting was very 
pleasant. There was a bright fire in the little stove, 
for the air out of doors was rather chilly, and the 
two large windows faced the west, where the sun 
was slowly sinking, and there was just enough 
furniture in the room to make it look cozy and 
comfortable. 


64 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


Edna of course knew that Lucy’s mother’s 
name was Mrs. Burnett, but she did not know 
that she was a widow and that she lived with her 
mother-in-law, who was Mrs. Atherton, Ernest’s 
mother. 

When she first discovered the fact she heartily 
wished she had not come. 

While Mrs. Burnett was getting the supper, 
Mrs. Atherton entertained her guest by showing 
her photographs of her children and talking of 
them. She talked most of Ernest, of whom she 
seemed to he particularly fond. 

Edna did not know what to say when the old 
lady began talking of Ernest. At last she ventured 
to say : 

“Do you see him very often?” 

“No; he is very busy and seldom finds time to 
come home.” 

“I wish he would come,” said Lucy; “next 
to mamma and grandma I love Uncle Ernest bet- 
ter than any one else in the world.” 

Then Mrs. Atherton brought some books and 
showed them to Edna, saying: 

“He used to be so fond of these, and used to 
read them through and through when he was a boy. 
And now if you are not too tired we will put on our 
hats and go into the flower garden. I love to walk 
at this time of the day.” 

When they reached the garden she said : 

“Ernest arranged all these flower beds for me. 
He loves flowers so much.” 

When supper was over Mrs. Atherton sat down 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


G5 


at the piano and they all sang for awhile, then 
gathered round the fire and discussed their favor- 
ite books, authors, etc. 

When Edna returned to school next morning 
she confessed to herself that she had had a de- 
lightful time. Then she said to herself : 

“What would he say if he knew that I had been 
to see his mother, and what shall I do if they ask 
me to come again? I should not like to, for he 
might think — Oh, dear me, I never know what 
to do any more. I wish I had some one to tell 
me.” 


A COUNTRY URL. 


CHAPTER X. 

ERNEST AND OLIVER. 

Ernest Atherton was seated in his study 
apparently musing upon something very pleasant, 
if one might judge by the expression of his face. 

The room he called his study was a large one, 
and might have been pleasant had there been 
anything like order in it, but the books and 
papers were all over the chairs and floor as well as 
littered over the table. Then there were several 
hats and coats flung on the lounge and several 
pairs of shoes thrust under it. 

There was a knock at the door, and a minute 
later it was thrown open and a young man walked 
in, evidently a friend of Ernest’s. 

“So you are back again, Atherton; it’s been 
awfully lonesome here since you have been gone. 
I scarcely knew what to do with myself when no* 
in the office. What kind of a time did you have? 
Pretty good, I guess, judging from the happy ex- 
pression you wore when I entered the room.” 

“Oh, yes, I have had a fine time; wish you 
had been along, Oliver. I met the loveliest girl at 
Harrisville, where I told you I used to preach 
occasionally.” 

“Did you? What kind of looking girl is she? 
Handsome, I suppose, or you would not bother 
with her.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


67 


“I do not know whether you would call her 
handsome or not. But I think she has a lovely 
face — so expressive, you know, and such sweet, 
modest manners. I wish you could have seen 
her as she looked the other night. She wore such 
a pretty white dress and heliotrope in her hair and 
on the dress — one of my favorite flowers, you 
know.” 

“Why, Ernest, I do believe you are in love. I 
must not allow you to go out there again, or you 
will be neglecting your work and all for a little 
flirt of a girl who will make just as much fuss 
over the next fellow who comes along. You had 
better let her alone and make up your mind to 
become a bachelor, for, as I have told you before, 
you were certainly intended forwone.” 

“She is not that kind of a girl at all, Oliver; if 
she was I would have nothing to do with her. 
She is very different indeed from the average city 
girl, who thinks of nothing but dressing up after- 
noons and promenading the streets to attract the 
attention of the men she may meet.” 

“I see: you have found your ideal young lady. 
Is she tall or short, dark or light?” 

“She is rather tall and slender and has brown 
hair and dark-blue eyes. But I cannot say that 
she is quite my ideal, for I think a model young 
lady should be highly educated, and Miss Carey 
is not. I do not mean that she is ignorant; she 
reads quite a good deal, I believe, but nothing 
more than light reading.” 

“Now if only she lived here in this city you 


68 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


might plan a course of reading for her and see 
that she followed it,” said Oliver, smiling. 

“I wish I could do that, but then of course I 
must not think of such a thing, not yet anyway.” 

4 ‘When do you think of going to Newbury 
again? You seem to be intensely interested in 
Miss Carey. I really begin to think the matter 
looks serious.” 

“Oh, no, not yet. Now I’ve talked enough 
about myself. Tell me what has happened since 
I have been gone.” 

Ernest Atherton and Oliver Montgomery had 
gone to college together and had been friends ever 
since. Ernest was pastor of a church in one of 
the cities on the Hudson River, and Oliver was in 
business in the same city. They both had rooms 
in the same house and were together as much as 
possible. 

A month or two later than the events recorded 
above Ernest began receiving letters from Edna, 
and although Oliver teased him mercilessly, he 
was intensely happy and most of his spare time 
was spent in writing long letters. 

One cold winter morning he had written an 
unusually long one, and was in the act of sealing 
it, when one of his friends came in. He stayed but 
a few moments, however, and when he rose to go 
Ernest said: 

“Will you be so kind as to post this letter for 
me? I shall be very busy all day and it would save 
me quite a good deal of time.” 

His friend took the letter and hurried away, 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


69 


and Ernest returned to his work. After a week 
or ten days had passed he began to look for a 
letter from Edna. 

One evening Oliver, on coming home from 
business, rushed upstairs and entered Ernest’s 
study as usual without knocking. He found him 
sitting gazing gloomily into the fire. 

“What’s the matter?” exclaimed Oliver. 

“Nothing,” said Ernest shortly. 

“Yes, there is. You have had bad news from 
that country girl of yours or something of that 
kind.” 

“I have had no news at all and you needn’t call 
her that country girl, either,” snapped Ernest. 

“So that’s the trouble, is it? My lady has not 
written,” continued Oliver teasingly. “Never 
mind, Ernest, she is not worth worrying about. 
No doubt she has fallen in love with some young 
farmer who lives near by and comes Sunday even- 
ing to take her out riding. Forget her for this 
evening anyway, and come with me to call on 
Miss Lindsley.” 


70 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


CHAPTER XI. 

AT WA SHINGTON. 

Ojst the Friday afternoon that Edna received 
her first quarter’s salary she felt very proud on 
receiving it, and rather glad that the first three 
months were over. 

She went home that afternoon as usual on Fri- 
day, and after supper went up to her room and 
took out her pocket-book. She had paid her 
hoard and had ninety dollars left. 

“Now I must use one-tenth for church "pur- 
poses,” said she, “and I’ll save fifty dollars for 
Minnie’s schooling and the rest I’ll keep myself. 
I wonder if I couldn’t go to Washington on the 
teachers’ excursion? But then I should not like 
to go alone and there’s no one I can ask to go with 
me. Oh, I know what I can do,” and running 
downstairs to her mother she said : 

“Mother, will you go to Washington with me 
during the holidays?” 

“Oh, I do not think I can, my dear. What has 
put such an idea into your head?” 

“I have been thinking of it for some time and 
am quite determined to go, and do not care to 
go alone, and you would enjoy it so much. Do 
say ‘yes,’ mother.” 

“What will your father say? Oh, no, there is 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


71 


no use in talking of it. I should be delighted, 
but your father would not hear of such a thing.” 

“He must hear of it. I shall tell him myself 
to-morrow, and I know he will not object. Why 
should he?” 

“Do not set your heart on it,” said Mrs. Carey, 
shaking her head. 

The next day Edna kept her word. Her father 
seemed rather astonished at first, but when she 
had coaxed and reasoned with him for some time, 
he reluctantly consented, saying he thought it a 
waste of money. Edna took no notice of this, 
but told her mother to make up her mind to go. 

Christmas came on Tuesday and on Thursday 
they were to start for Washington. All day 
Wednesday it threatened to snow, and Mrs. Carey 
kept telling Edna not to think too strongly of 
going, as it was very doubtful if the weather would 
permit. 

Edna would not listen to this, and when she 
awoke at five o’clock the next morning and heard 
the hail and sleet beating against the windows, 
Bhe sprang out of bed, and having dressed herself 
hastily ran downstairs and lighted the kitchen 
fire. 

Her mother then came down and said : 

“You do not expect to go in such a storm, do 
you, Edna?” 

“Why, yes, mother. The storm will not appear 
half so bad when it is daylight, and I am sure we 
have all been out in storms before.” 

“Your father will not allow us to go. He says 


A GOtTN TRY GIRL. 


W 

that as there is no real necessity of ns going wC 
had better not venture out in such a storm, and 
that we had better content ourselves at home.” 

‘‘Let us hurry and get breakfast first,” said 
Edna. 

Mr. Carey and Arthur then came down, and 
Edna ran upstairs and awakened Minnie and 
Lottie. 

“It’s real mean to have to get up so early in 
such cold weather,” said Lottie. 

“Yes, and in our holidays too,” grumbled 
Minnie. 

After breakfast Edna asked Arthur if he would 
get the horses ready and take them to the station. 

“Yes,” he replied, “but you and mother will 
have to hurry to get ready in time.” 

“Oh, we shall be dressed by the time you are 
ready.” 

“Surely you do not think of going in such a 
storm as this, Edna. You must have lost your 
senses,” said her father. 

“Oh, yes, father, do let us go. The storm can- 
not hurt us after we get on the train, and I am 
sure we have both driven through storms as far 
as Harrisville without taking cold, and Arthur 
does not mind, do you, Arthur?” 

“Well, if you will go, why, get ready as quickly 
as you can, for it will take a long while to drive 
through the crust that is on the ground and break 
the road all the way. It’s my opinion that you 
will both come home sick for the rest of the 
winter.” 


A GOV N TRY GIRL . 


73 


“Oh, no danger, father,” said Edna. “Now, 
mother, let’s hnrry and get ready before he 
changes his mind again,” said she as they ran up 
to their rooms. 

After a cold, stormy ride, they reached the 
station and found they had only five minutes to 
wait for the train. So they purchased their tickets 
and a minute later stepped on board the train. 

“We are really off at last,” said Edna as she 
sank into a seat beside her mother. 

“I do hope that Minnie will get along all right 
with the housework or I shall never hear the last 
of it,” said Mrs. Carey. 

“Oh, she will do well enough, mother; do not 
worry about that ; and there is Lottie too, she can 
do as well if not better than Minnie. I told them 
to be sure to cook plenty for every meal if they 
did nothing else.” 

The train sped swiftly on, and when they 
reached Philadelphia every one got off the train 
and had dinner at the restaurant. 

Edna then had an excellent opportunity to 
observe her fellow-passengers. She noticed that 
they were all well dressed and most of them 
appeared to be teachers from the city. 

They all talked and laughed and seemed to 
be enjoying themselves heartily. 

At the end of half an hour they hastened back 
to the train. 

Edna enjoyed herself all the afternoon gazing 
out of the window and watching the other occu- 
pants of the car. 


74 


A GO UN TRY GIRL. 


The sun came out in the course of the afternoon, 
and every one hailed its appearance with delight. 

It was very cozy and warm in the car and Edna 
fell to day-dreaming, as she always did whenever 
she felt particularly comfortable. 

After awhile she came back to the present and 
found that they were approaching Washington. 
The sun was nearly down and Edna was beginning 
to wonder whether it would he very dark when 
the train stopped at the depot, when she found 
they were entering the city. So she straightened 
up and gazed eagerly out of the window to see 
how much of the city she could see. After what 
seemed to her a good many minutes the train 
stopped and every one hurried out of the car. 

In a few minutes Edna and her mother arrived 
at their hotel. 

“Is noi: this delightful, mother? I was never 
in such a beautiful place before,” said Edna. 

Mrs. Carey smiled as she replied: 

“Yes, it is a very nice hotel, hut what are you 
and I to do with ourselves this evening?” 

“Have our supper first, for Im hungry,” said 
Edna. 

As they were seated at the table Edna had 
another opportunity to look at the other ladies in 
the room and wonder who they were and where 
they lived, as she was very fond of doing. 

Presently she noticed that a young lady and 
young gentleman were seated at the same table 
opposite herself and her mother. 

They resembled each other so closely that she 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


75 


soon decided that they were brother and sister, 
and they were very fond of each other she was 
sure from the way they conversed together. 

Then Mrs. Carey interrupted her thoughts by 
saying: 

“Well, Edna, have you decided what you wish 
to do this evening? If you have brought a book 
with you, you might sit in the parlor and read till 
bed-time. I suppose that will satisfy you as well 
as anything, as you are so fond of reading.” 

“Oh, mother, can’t we go and hear some music 
somewhere? We will never again have so good a 
chance to go together, and I should like it so 
much. I can read at home or at Mrs. Pierson’s 
at any time. Do say you will go with me, 
mother.” 

“But I do not know where to go, my dear, and 
we two women cannot be running around the city 
at night inquiring the way of every one we meet. 
What can you be thinking of?” 

“I suppose it would not be just the thing, but 
we came here to have a good time and I know you 
would enjoy hearing some good music as well as if 
not more than I, and there is no use in caring for 
what people think.” 

Then the young lady sitting near Edna said : 

“Excuse me, I could not help hearing what you 
said, and my brother and I are going to hear an 
oratorio, and if you like to accompany us we should 
be happy to have you with us.” 

“Oh, thank you. We should be delighted,” 
said Edna. “MayJ ask whether you are a teacher?” 


76 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“Yes; and my name is Marion Grant, and this 
is my brother,” she replied, smiling. 

Edna smiled too as she said : 

“This is my mother, Mrs. Carey, and I am 
Edna Carey.” 

“It is not time to go out yet, so let ns go into 
the parlor and get acquainted,” said Miss Grant. 

Once seated in the comfortable chairs the two 
young ladies entered into a long conversation 
about schools, methods, etc. Suddenly Mr. Grant, 
who had been chatting with Mrs. Carey, ex- 
claimed : 

“Come, Marion, if you do not wish to be late, 
it is time we were putting our wraps on.” 

When the evening was over and Mrs. Carey and 
Edna had retired to their room for the night, 
Edna said : 

“Was not the music beautiful, mother? I 
have had such a delightful evening. I do not 
remember ever having such a nice time before, 
and Mr. and Miss Grant are such pleasant people. 
Are not you glad that we came?” 

The next morning all the excursionists were to 
: meet the tourist agent at the Capitol at nine 
o’clock, and as Edna and her new friends were 
up early they enjoyed a long conversation in the 
hotel parlor before it was time to go. Edna 
found that the Grants lived in New York, that 
Marion was not obliged to teach, as her father 
was very well off, but that she loved to do it and 
did it for the pleasure of it. They spent a de- 
lightful morning at the Capitol and other places 
of interest. 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


77 


It was a clear, cold day, and as they entered the 
hotel at noon the warm air felt so delightful that 
Edna exclaimed: 

“Oh, mother, isn’ t it nice and warm here! 
When I have a home of my own I mean to have 
it heated with steam from top to bottom if I have 
to do without a good many other things.” 

Marion Grant looked rather amused, Edna 
thought, as she said : 

“I suppose you find it difficult to keep warm in 
the country, do you not?” 

“Not always,” said Edna; “we manage to keep 
most of the rooms at our house quite comfortable, 
but at my boarding-house my bedroom is so cold 
that I hate to go to bed and hate to get up, 
especially when the water in the pitcher is 
frozen. Of course they have it quite warm 
downstairs, but when I get to the school-house I 
find it cold and dismal, and before the fire is well 
started I feel cold and miserable and scarcely get 
over it all day.” 

“So you have resolved to have your own home 
cozy and warm. Well, that is a good idea, I am 
sure. Where is it to be, in the city or country?” 

“Oh, I don’t know yet, but I’ll be sure to in- 
vite you to visit me,” Edna replied, laughing. 

“So it is only a vision of the future?” asked 
Allan Grant. 

“Yes, but I was only in fun, so don’t begin to 
tease me.” 

The afternoon was to be spent at Mount Vernon, 
and our friends lingered so long at the table chat- 
ting over what they had seen in the morning that 


78 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


when they arose from the table Mr. Grant ex- 
claimed : 

“Now we must all hurry or we shall miss the 
train.” 

In a few minutes they were in a street-car on 
their way to the station. To their dismay, when 
they reached it they found the train had been 
gone just three minutes. 

“Oh, what a pity!” exclaimed Edna; “now 
what shall we do? I suppose there is no other 
way of getting there this afternoon?” 

“Do try and find out whether there is, Allan,” 
said his sister. “It would be a shame to miss 
that. I had rather see that than almost anything 
we have seen yet.” 

Allan hastened away to make inquiries, and in 
a few minutes came back and said : 

“We must take the steamer. Come this way.” 

The three ladies were delighted that they would 
not be obliged to give up the trip, and Edna said : 

“It’s so nice to have you with us, Mr. Grant. 
I am sure I do not know how mother and I could 
have got along if we had not met you and your 
sister.” 

“I am sure it has been much pleasanter for 
Marion and I both, having you and your mother 
with us, and I am glad we met you. If you will 
come and visit us in New York some time we will 
take you all over the city to see everything there 
is worth seeing.” 

Edna laughed and blushed and said “Thank 
you,” scarcely knowing what else to say. 

“You will come, will you not?” said Miss 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


79 


Grant. *'I had intended asking you before Allan 
did, but he got ahead of me, as he generally does. 
You will let her come, will you not, Mrs. Carey?” 

“Yes, certainly; I know she will be glad to 
come and we should he very happy to entertain 
you at our home some time.” 

“Oh, thank you. I should like so much to be on 
a farm and feed the chickens and the turkeys 
and ” 

“And pigs,” said Allan, laughing. 

On board the steamer Allan found comfortable 
seats for them where they could look out on the 
water, then seated himself beside Edna and talked 
all the way in the most entertaining manner of 
the various places he had visited. 

When they reached Mount Vernon Marion and 
Edna were charmed with everything they saw. 

“How nice to think that we are really at Mount 
Vernon, mother. If it were only summer weather 
I should be more delighted than ever. I should 
love to be here some warm spring or summer day 
and walk around these grounds and try to imagine 
how Washington looked when he was here and 
walked up and down these paths.” 

“The grounds are nothing remarka ole, tnough ” 
said Marion. 

“No, but everything looks so nice ana nome- 
like that I am just as much pleased as though 
the grounds were laid out in the most wonderful 
and beautiful manner. How t nice it is that the 
house should he so close to the river. I should 
dearly love to live here myself.” 

The others laughed at this and Edna had no 


80 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


time for further remarks, for by this time they 
had reached the house. 

“Oh, what a dear old kitchen!” exclaimed 
Marion. “I suppose Washington has eaten many 
a buckwheat baked here. Just think of it, Miss 
Carey. Should you not like to bake some now and 
imagine you were baking them for the father of 
your country?” added she, laughing. 

“Yes, indeed,” replied Edna, laughing too. 
“It is such a cold day I think the griddle and 
batter should be kept here ready for whoever 
chose to use them, and I am sure nearly every one 
would ; then we could all say that we had eaten 
griddle cakes in George Washington’s kitchen.” 

“You shameful girl, that would be making a 
restaurant of the place,” exclaimed Mr. Grant. 

“I suppose so, but I was only in fun and did 
not mean it. Oh, dear, I am having so good a 
time I scarcely know what I am doing or saying.” 

They followed the crowd on through the house 
and up the stairs. Edna tried to listen to all 
their guide told them, but as he hurired them 
along pretty fast she lingered behind to take a 
good long look at the bedrooms. 

“How nice eveverything is,” she said when 
they were downstairs once more. “I could not 
grow tired of looking at the different rooms and 
hearing about them if we were here a whole 
month.” 

“It is too bad we cannot stay longer,” said 
Allan; “we have only time for a glimpse of the 
carriage-house.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


81 


“And Washington’s grave — we must see that,” 
said Marion. 

So Edna took a last hurried look at the “dear 
old house,” as she called it, and they rushed out 
of doors. In a few minutes the steamboat whistle 
sounded and they all hurried down to the river. 

On the way back to Washington they all bought 
numerous souvenirs to carry home with them. 

During the evening they attended another con- 
cert, to the delight of Edna and her mother. 

The next morning they visited the White House, 
the Corcoran Art Gallery, and other places of in- 
terest, besides attending the President’s reception, 
which amused Edna very much. 

In the afternoon they took the train for home 
feeling tired, but well satisfied with their excur- 
sion and happy in each other’s company. Marion 
sat with Mrs. Carey and Edna with Mr. Grant. 

Before they parted Marion made Edna promise 
that she would write to her and that she would 
visit her at her earliest opportunity. 

“I shall certainly write and tell you some of 
my school experiences,” said Edna, “but I am 
afraid I shall not be able to visit you before vaca- 
tion. ” 

“Oh, yes, do come before the hot weather 
comes on; get a substitute for a day or two and 
you can stay over Saturday and Sunday anyway.” 

“Well, I’ll see. You may be sure that I will 
come if I can,” Edna replied. 

She and her mother reached home late that 
night and in a few days she returned to her school 
routine. 


83 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


CHAPTER XII. 

EDNA’S VISIT TO MARION. 

The remainder of the winter was very cold and 
stormy and some of Edna’s smaller pupils were 
kept home from school in consequence, but she 
had so many large ones that she was rather glad 
than otherwise. There was a great deal of snow 
and slush, and this made matters particularly- 
trying for Edna, for the boys and girls had always 
been accustomed to snow-balling, and she disliked 
to compel them to give up the practice; then some 
of the younger boys or girls were sure to get hurt 
and come crying into the school-house at noon or 
at recess and sometimes after school. Then they 
tracked in so much snow and mud, although she 
made them sweep their shoes at the door, that 
the school-house floor became nearly black, which 
was a great trial to Edna, as she had tried to keep 
it white and clean. 

Every Wednesday evening there was a prayer- 
meeting held in the school-house, which was also an 
annoyance to Edna rather than a comfort, for the 
meeting was led by an illiterate man that she 
could not respect, although she did try her best to 
do so. But that was not all: she could endure 
the meetings and their leader and try to enjoy 
them, but the women who attended the meetings, 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


83 


most of them mothers of her pupils, took it upon 
themselves to remark upon the condition of the 
floor, telling Edna that it was dirty and asking 
whether she allowed the children to snow-bal v l in 
the school-house; why she did not make the 
girls scrub it, etc. Then others would find fault 
with her concerning something that had happened 
their children at school. 

At the same time some of the lower class of 
young men would spit on the floor while the 
meeting was in session, and in the morning she 
would find great pools of tobacco spit to he swept 
out. She could not very well scrub the floor, as 
there was no well near the school-house and the 
boys were obliged to go half a mile for drinking- 
water. 

On Wednesday she would stay till nearly dark 
sweeping and dusting the school-house, then if 
the roads were muddy she would go early to school 
the next morning to sweep and dust again. 

She had some nice pupils of whom she was very 
fond and she enjoyed teaching, but she had many 
disagreeable things to contend with, and she 
longed heartily for spring, which would, she hoped, 
put an end to some of her difficulties. And the 
more she longed for spring the longer it seemed 
in coming. 

While she enjoyed the hours spent in the school- 
room, she found the long evenings when she sat 
by the fire with prosy Mr. and Mrs. Pierson very 
tiresome, particularly when Mr. Pierson lectured 
her on teaching, told her of complaints that had 


84 


A CO UNTUT GIRL. 


been made by some dissatisfied parent, and then 
gave her a long and uninteresting account of the 
way schools were managed when he was young. 
All this Edna found very wearisome, and counted 
the days that still remained before spring might 
be expected to put in its appearance. The long 
walks to school were no longer pleasant; the roads 
were very muddy, often over the tops of Edna’s 
rubbers, and that made everything appear more 
dismal than ever to her. Several weeks more 
passed away, and one Friday afternoon when Edna 
had been driven home by Arthur, who came for 
her now, she found a letter from Marion Grant 
awaiting her. 

The two girls had corresponded all winter and 
Edna had found Marion’s letters a great help to 
her. Marion now urged that Edna must come 
and make her promised visit. She had fixed upon 
the last Friday in March. 

“The weather is sure to be pleasant by that 
time,” she wrote, “and I am so anxious to see 
you, so please be sure to come. Perhaps you can 
give your pupils a holiday on Friday and come to 
New York on Thursday afternoon. We should 
then have all the more time for sight-seeing. 
Now do reply as soon as you can and tell me that 
you are coming.” 

“Oh, mother, I should love to go,” said Edna 
when she had read the letter through. “Do you 
think I can manage it satisfactorily — about Friday, 
I mean? You know I taught on the twenty- 
second of February, but I don’t know whether 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


85 


Mr. Pierson will think I am entitled to a holiday 
now or not. He is such a queer man; he pre- 
tends to think teaching such easy work, and that 
the teacher has nothing but pleasure all the time, 
etc.; then sometimes when anything has gone 
wrong in school and I am anxious about it he will 
be quite sympathetic. I do not understand him 
at all.” 

“Oh, yes, I certainly think there will be no 
trouble about that, so do not worry over it, but 
turn your thoughts in another direction, for you 
must have a new dress before you go and there is 
not much time in which to decide what to get 
and purchase the materials. I can make the 
dress if I cut and fit it on a Saturday.” 

“We will go and buy the dress to-morrow if it 
is clear, mother. You and I have not had a drive 
together for some time and I am sure we will both 
enjoy one on the morrow.” 

So the next day was a happy one to Edna; it 
was the first pleasant Saturday they had had for 
weeks and the air really began to feel quite mild 
and spring-like. 

During the next few weeks she felt much 
brighter and looked forward eagerly to the antici- 
pated visit. 

Her older boys and some of the girls left school 
and that lightened her cares somewhat. Some of 
them had been very troublesome during the win- 
ter, but she had borne with them patiently and had 
tried to like them, not knowing whether they 
cared for her or not. 


86 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


To her surprise, when they left school they said 
“good-by” to her very respectfully, and said they 
hoped she would be their teacher another year, 
and that she was the best teacher they had ever 
had. 

“So my patience and labor have amounted to 
something, after all,” she said to herself on the 
way home that night. 

Soon the much-talked-of Thursday arrived, and 
Edna hurried away as soon as school was out and 
was driven rapidly home so that she might dress 
and catch the evening train for New York. 

“Come right up to your room, Edna. I have 
everything ready for you to put on,” said Mrs. 
Carey when Edna entered the house. 

“Oh, how kind and thoughtful of you, mother,” 
said she when she saw the pretty new dress and 
the neat pile of underclothes laid out on the bed. 
“It will not take me long to dress with my things 
all ready to put right on.” 

In a short time she was ready and her mother 
and sisters agreed in thinking that she looked 
very stylish indeed. 

“Now if Marion is sure to meet me I shall be 
all right,” thought Edna as she stepped on board 
the train. “But she might forget, or have a 
headache or something, and then what should I 
do?” 

And she gave herself no peace until the 
train rolled into Jersey City, and there stood 
Marion and Allan in the very .place where Marion 
had promised to be. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


87 


“Oh, Marion, I am so glad to see yon. I was so 
afraid that something would prevent your coming 
and then I would not know what to do.” 

“As if I should fail to come when I had 
promised to do so! Now I have a mind to give 
you a scolding for even hinting at such a thing.” 

“But you might have been sick or met with 
an accident.” 

“Well, then, I could have come just as easily 
without her, or am I of no importance?” said 
Allan, laughing. 

“Oh, I had not thought of your coming, Mr. 
Grant. I am sure it was very kind of you to come 
with Marion, hut I was so worried, fearing she 
might not be here, and then I would not know 
what to do, that I did not think of you at all.” 

“Just hear that, Marion. I have half a mind 
to leave the young lady entirely to your care for 
the whole evening / 9 said Allan, laughing. 

“I am not at all afraid of your doing that,” 
said Marion, laughing too, while Edna, not 
knowing what to say, said nothing, but her cheeks 
became very red. 

When they entered the home of the Grants 
Edna saw that the house was large and hand- 
somely furnished, and several of the rooms were 
brightly lighted. 

Mr. and Mrs. Grant met them in the hall and 
Edna thought them both very pleasant. 

“No wonder their children are so nice,” she 
said to herself. 

“Now, Marion, don’t he long dressing,” said 
Mrs. Grant. 


88 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“No, I’ll try to hurry for once, mamma. 
Come, Edna, I’ll show you your room,” and she 
ran lightly up the soft carpeted stairs. 

Edna followed more slowly and found Marion 
waiting for her at the top. 

“Your room opens into mine, so if you want 
anything at any time you will know where to find 
me.” 

“Thank you,” said Edna; “but suppose we 
leave the door open while we are dressing. I 
have so many things to tell you that I think I had 
better begin as soon as possible, as I can’t very 
well tell them before any one else.” 

“All right; I love to hear secrets, if that is what 
they are. I have a good deal to tell you too, but 
I must hurry and get dressed now, as mamma 
does not like to be kept waiting.” 

A few minutes later the young ladies descended 
the stairs and the whole family entered the din- 
ing-room. 

Every one was so kind and entertaining to Edna 
that she soon forgot to feel embarrassed, and was 
surprised at finding herself talking as naturally as 
though she were at home. 

She was glad that she had read the newspapers 
so regularly and carefully all winter, as most of 
the conversation concerned the important events 
of the day, and Mr. Grant was constantly asking 
her what she thought about this or that. 

Presently Marion said : 

“Should you like to go to a concert this even- 
ing, Edna, or are you not as anxious to hear 
good music as when at Washington?” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“Oh, yes, indeed I am; and I should like to go 
very much. Music is a great treat to me. I often 
wish I could sit down after school and have some 
one play for an hour some really beautiful pieces.” 

“Then you do not -play?” said Mrs. Grant. 

“Only a very little, and that at home or in the 
school-room ; there is no musical instrument at my 
boarding-house.” 

“Oh, how does that old gentleman get along, 
Edna? Does he annoy you as much as he did?” 

“Yes, sometimes. I became so tired of him 
this winter that I did not know what to do. I do 
not think he means to annoy me. He thinks that 
I am so much younger than he and that he knows 
so much more about teaching than I that it is his 
duty to advise me all the time. Mother told me 
to try and bear it patiently, but sometimes I 
found it almost impossible.” 

“I should think so,” said Mrs. Grant. “I am 
sure that teaching school is tiresome work enough 
without having all that to endure after the work 
was done for the day. I know something about it 
myself, so you see I can sympathize with you,” 
she continued, smiling. 

“Then you have taught?” said Edna in a sur- 
prised tone. “Was yours a little country school 
with tiresome people, like mine?” 

“It was in a village, and some of the people were 
disagreeable, but others were very nice indeed. 
Surely you have some pleasant • families in your 
district?” 

“Oh, yes, certainly; but somehow the disagree- 
able ones seem to make the stronger impression 


90 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


on me. I suppose it is wrong of me to feel so, 
but I think that when the teacher takes so much 
pains with the children and tries her best to teach 
them, the parents should try to help her along and 
not do their best to discourage her. But won’t 
you tell me some of your experiences, Mrs. Grant? 
I always feel better when I find that I am not 
the only one who has trouble — that is, school 
troubles.” 

4 ‘Some time I shall be happy to, but if we do 
not wish to be late to the concert it will not do 
for me to begin now.” 

When they reached the building, Allan con- 
ducted the ladies to their seats and then sat down 
by Edna. 

“We have plenty of time, after all,” said 
Marion, and she began pointing out her different 
friends to Edna as they came in. The whole 
party were soon engaged in pleasant conversation. 
But when the music began Edna cased talking at 
once and took no further notice of her friends for 
the remainder of the evening. 

Allan glanced at her from time to time, but said 
•nothing. 

When it was over and they arose to go home 
Allan said : 

“Did you enjoy the music, Miss Edna?” 

“Oh, so much,” said Edna. “I have not heard 
anything like it since we were at Washington.” 

“I am glad you are fond of music. I love to 
take any one who cares to hear it.” 

“Who would not enjoy such music as that?” 
she replied in a surprised tone. 


A COUNI RY GIRL. 


91 


“Oh, there are a great many who do not appre- 
ciate it. Marion and mother do, but I know a 
great many ladies who go just because other ladies 
and gentlemen do, and all the time they sit there 
their thoughts are on everything else but music.” 

As soon as they reached home Marion and Edna 
went upstairs to Marion’s room. 

“Now for a good long talk,” said she, “and 
something to eat at the same time.” 

And she went to the closet and brought out 
bananas, oranges, and figs. 

“Now help yourself, Edna. I always feel like 
eating fruit or something when I have been out 
during the evening, and I guess most girls are 
alike in some respects.” 

So they sat and talked and enjoyed themselves 
for a long time. The next two days they spent 
in sight-seeing and shopping, Edna buying many 
pretty things to take home to her mother and 
sisters. 

Sunday morning they all went to church to- 
gether. Edna thought she had never heard any- 
thing so grand as the large organ. The afternoon 
was spent in looking at books and engravings and 
in conversation. 

When evening came Marion complained of a 
bad headache and went to her room. Mr. and 
Mrs. Grant went to see a sick friend and Edna 
went to church with Allan. She enjoyed the 
evening even more than the morning service. 
The congregation was larger, the singing better, 
and the organ as grand as ever. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


On returning from church they entered the 
drawing-room, which was deserted. 

“Mother and father cannot have come in yet,” 
said Allan. 

“I must go up and see how Marion is,” said 
Edna as she stood drawing off her gloves. 

“Oh, no, not yet; she is sure to be asleep by 
this time. Sit down and get warm first and tell 
me how you have enjoyed the day.” 

“Oh, so much. I have had a delightful visit, 
and to think that it is over and I must go back 
home and to school to-morrow.” 

“How should you like to come and live in the 
city and go to concerts, art galleries, and elegant 
churches and everything that you cared to as 
often as you pleased?” 

“That would be very pleasant, but I could not 
teach in a city school. I guess if I tried it I 
would be glad to go back to my own little flock in 
the country, if they are troublesome sometimes.” 

“I did not mean that, Edna; I was not thinking 
of teaching school just then; but how would you 
like to come to New York to live in a nice little 
home of your own?” 

“Why, Mr. Grant, what a funny question. 
Papa and mamma would never think of giving up 
the dear old farm where we have lived so long, 
and I do not think that I would care, either. 
Sometimes it has seemed a little bit tiresome and 
lonely, but that was when I have felt depressed 
about something, and I was always ashamed of 
myself afterward for feeling so.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


93 


“Edna, darling! why will yon misunderstand 
me so? Cannot you see that I love you and that 
I want you to come to the city to live as my own 
darling wife?” Allan exclaimed passionately, 
while Edna’s face flushed crimson, then turned 
pale. 

“Indeed, Allan, I have misunderstood you, and 
I am so sorry, hut I cannot do as you ask me. 
Surely you do not mean it?” 

“Indeed I do. Cannot you see that I love you, 
and you will try to love me a little after awhile, 
will you not? Perhaps I have spoken too soon; I 
should have waited a little longer ; but, Edna, I 
have loved you with my whole heart ever since the 
night I first saw you at Washington, and this has 
been the longest winter I have ever known, and 
you cannot think how delighted I was when a few 
weeks ago Marion told me of her intention of 
writing to you and asking you to come here. I 
could hardly wait till you came, I was so anxious 
to see you, and when you said that the winter had 
been so long and tiresome to you, I did so hope 
that you were longing to see me, or that you were 
at least thinking of me a little; and was I entirely 
wrong, darling? Do tell me that you love me a 
little.” 

“Indeed, Allan, I do not know what to say. I 
do admire you very much indeed, and am grateful 
for all your kindness to me, hut I cannot marry 
you, really I cannot, so please do not ask me 
again,” she said tearfully. 

“Answer me one more question, Edna; no, you 


94 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


must not go away yet. Pretty soon you will be 
gone forever. Tell me this. Do you love any one 
else? Surely you do not, or I would have heard 
you speak of him.” 

Edna then burst into tears and said : 

“I did love some one else some time ago, but 
I — that is, he has forgotten me; but I cannot love 
any one else, Allan, and you must not ask me 
again.” 

“I will not to-night, darling, since you do not 
wish it, but may I not ask you again after a year 
has passed, or must we part forever?” 

“I wish you would not speak in that way, Allan. 
Why cannot we be friends just as we have been?” 

“I tell you, Edna, that you have always been 
more than a friend to me. I loved you the first 
time my eyes rested on your sweet face, and I can 
never be just a friend to you or you to me. I 
must win you for my own darling wife or we must 
part forever. Now, do promise me that you will 
wait a year before giving me up entirely. Surely 
that other one of whom you speak must have 
found some one else, or how could he stay away so 
long? and he is not worthy of you or he never 
would have done such a thing.” 

“Oh, Allan, how can I answer you? I tell you 
truly there is no use in putting it off for a year. 
I can never love any one else as I have loved 
Ernest Atherton, and since he is lost to me I never 
intend to marry, but to devote my whole life to 
teaching and helping my little sisters.” 

“You may say so now, Edna, but you will change 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


95 


your mind. I know you will. Some sunny day 
next spring I shall come to see you and I know 
you will welcome me, for I shall pray with my 
whole heart that you may learn to love me and 
that you will some day be my wife, and my prayers 
are always answered,” said he hopefully. 

“Indeed, Allan, I had rather you would pray 
for strength to overcome this passing fancy and 
that you may find some one in your own circle of 
friends who would make you a better and more 
suitable wife. Now let us say ‘good-night,’ and 
when we meet again let us meet as friends and no 
more.” And she arose and extended her hand. 

He arose also and took the proffered hand and 
held it in both his own so tightly as to bring the 
tears to Edna’s eyes. 

“Good-night, Edna, darling; remember what I 
have promised you, and I never forget.” 

Edna then heard Mr. and Mrs. Grant at the 
door, and snatching her hand away she sped up- 
stairs, and fastening the door of her room threw 
herself on the bed and cried bitterly for a few 
minutes; then remembering that Marion was in 
the next room and might hear her, she sat up and 
dried her eyes, saying: 

“What shall I do if Marion asks what the mat- 
ter is? Well, I am glad instead of sorry now that 
I am going home to-morrow, and I’ll not be sorry 
to find myself back in the old school-house again,” 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER XIII 

SPRING. 

“Spring has come at last,” said Edna to herself 
that Monday morning as she reached the school- 
house. 

She had taken the early train from New York 
to Harrisville, had gone home and changed her 
dress, and had now reached her school-house. 

There were no children there yet, so she entered 
the school-room and proceeded to light the fire. 

“What a lovely day it is. If the weather con- 
tinues as fine as this we shall not need much fire, 
and that will he one thing less for Mr. Pierson to 
worry me about. Whenever he could think of 
nothing else he would begin about burning so 
much coal, but I guess there is enough to last till 
school closes, after all.” 

Everything went nicely in the school-room that 
day. The older and more troublesome boys and 
girls had left and Edna could devote more time 
and attention to the little ones, whom she had 
been obliged to neglect somewhat during the 
winter. 

She made several changes in her programme so 
as to excite their curiosity and attention, and both 
teacher and pupils were happy all day. 

But when school was out and the children gone 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


07 


home, Edna sat down at her desk to have a think- 
ing spell, as she called her fits of day-dreaming. 

She had been excited all the morning over her 
return from the city at so early an hour, and she 
had felt so relieved at the absence of the large 
boys and girls that no troublesome thoughts came 
to annoy her. But now she was alone, there was 
nothing to hold her attention and she could not 
help thinking over the events of her visit. 

The more she thought, the more miserable she 
became. 

“How I wish Marion had not been sick last 
night and had gone to church with us,” she said, 
and then, “I might have known better than to 
go alone with him, but I had no idea of such a 
thing. It’s a pity if a young man cannot be 
friendly to a lady without wanting to marry her. 
I think it’s perfectly ridiculous. If it had not 
been for that I should have had a delightful visit, 
but that just spoiled it all. But poor Allan, I 
suppose he feels as miserable as I do and even 
worse. But I cannot help it. I could never think 
of marrying him, although I do admire and like 
him. Ho, I can never love any one else, and I am 
afraid I have done wrong to love Ernest Atherton, 
but I could not help it. He made me love him, and 
I’ll just make up my mind to have nothing more 
to do with gentlemen hereafter, and to give my 
whole time to teaching. By the time I’m forty 
years old I’ll be sick enough of it, I guess, but 
I shall have to teach only one day at a time and I 
can get through that quite happily if I try. How 


98 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


I must sweep the school-room and go, or Mrs. 
Pierson’s curiosity will be aroused again.” 

One bright warm day several weeks after this , 
Lucy Burnett, Edna’s favorite pupil, came in the 
school-room with a neat little package in her hand 
and said: 

“Good-morning, Miss Carey. See what I have 
for you.” 

“Thank you, Lucy. What is it?” replied Edna, 
smiling. 

“Candy,” said Lucy. “Uncle Ernest brought 
me a nice lot of the most beautiful candy last 
night, and I selected some of the prettiest pieces 
and brought them to you. Uncle wanted to know 
if they were for my schoolmate and I said, ‘No, 
but for the sweetest, prettiest teacher that ever 
lived.’ Then he smiled and said, ‘You think a 
great deal of your teacher, I guess,’ and I told 
him I loved you, after mamma and grandma and 
himself, better than any one else in the world. 
But I forgot to tell him your name. I’ll tell him 
to-night. You used to know Uncle Ernest, did 
you not, Miss Carey?” 

“No, Lucy, do not tell him your teacher’s name 
at all; say nothing more to your uncle of your 
teacher. You will oblige me very much if you 
will do as I say.” 

“Very well, Miss Carey; I will not speak of you 
unless he asks me about you, and I do not think 
he will; but why may I not mention you, Miss 
Carey? You do not know how nice Uncle Ernest 
is. I think he is the nicest man I ever saw ; he is 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


99 


so kind and polite to ladies, so much nicer than 
any of the men around here, and he brings me so 
many pretty things. Do you really wish me not to 
mention your name to him?” 

“Yes, Lucy, I really wish it. Run away now 
and do not ask me any more questions on the 
subject.” 

“And must I not mention Uncle Ernest to you 
either?” asked Lucy with a surprised look on 
her smiling face. 

^ISTo, I had rather you would not,” Edna re- 
plied. 

That afternoon when school was out Edna sat 
long in the little school-room thinking such 
thoughts as these: “I wonder whether he knows 
that I teach here or whether he is aware of the 
fact that I am teaching at all ; but I suppose he 
would not care if he did. Suppose he should come 
to the school for Lucy some afternoon as Mrs. 
Atherton’s visitors often do: what should Ido? 
I would not know how to act, and if he does not 
know I am teaching here he will be very likely to 
come over to the school-house for a walk or to 
take Lucy for a drive. I might better not have 
forbidden Lucy to mention my name to him, for 
if he knew I was here he would be sure not to 
come. I know what I’ll do if I see him coming. 
When he knocks I will send one of the pupils to 
the door; he will ask for Lucy and I need not be 
seen at all. Oh, dear, it seems to me I am get- 
ting into some kind of trouble all the time. I 
wish I could be as happy as I was two or thre$ 


100 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


years ago, when I had comparatively little to be 
happy about. I am sure I ought to be proud that 
I am earning my living and preparing the way to 
send Minnie to school. I know I do enjoy it, 
but as I have said, as soon as one worry is over 
another one comes, and I have no time to enjoy 
the few pleasures that do come to me. But what 
an old maid I am getting to be, sitting here talk- 
ing to myself over my troubles. I will be a regu- 
lar crank before long if I am not careful. I will 
not worry about Ernest Atherton any more. I 
am sure he is not worth it.” And she arose, put 
on her hat, and locking the school-room door, 
walked slowly home to Mrs. Pierson’s. 

Meantime Lucy had reached home, and as usual 
sat down to talk over the events of the day with 
her mother. 

“Mamma,” said she, “what do you think? 
This morning I took Miss Carey some lovely 
pieces of candy and told her who brought them to 
me, and she has forbidden me ever to mention 
Uncle Ernest’s name to her again. I asked her 
why and she would give me no reason. Did you 
ever hear anything like that before? I told her 
that Uncle Ernest was the nicest man I know, but 
she would not listen to me. I think it is so 
strange, mamma. What can she possibly have 
against dear Uncle Ernest?” 

“I do not know, my dear, but since she has re- 
quested you not to speak of her to him and you 
promised to do so, you must be careful to keep 
your word. Now run away and play awhile; I 


A COUNTRY GIRL. iOl 

shall want yon presently to help me get sup- 
per.” 

‘‘May we have biscuits for supper, mamma? 
Do say yes. You know Uncle Ernest and I both 
love them dearly.” 

“Yes, I guess so. There, run along now.” 

Lucy did not know that her uncle had been sit- 
ting on the porch near the open window and had 
heard the whole conversation. 

He did not understand it at first, and rising 
passed out on the lawn, where he walked up and 
down the paths among the shrubbery for some 
time. 

“That must be my Edna Carey,” said he to 
himself. “What can the girl mean. In what 
way could I possibly have offended her? I am 
sure I think I have cause to be angry with her 
instead of she with me. I do not see how she 
comes to teaching school, either, after what she 
said about it. No it cannot be, Edna. I wish 
I had some way of finding out, but I cannot bear 
to ask mother or sister, either; they would be sure 
to suspect something. How I should love to see 
! her again. But I suppose there is no chance of 
my doing so while I am here unless I should pass 
by the school-house at noon or recess time. I 
might then get a glimpse of her, only Lucy would 
be sure to see me and would cry out, ‘Here comes 
Uncle Ernest,’ then Edna would of course disap- 
pear. No, that will not do, either. I must give 
up all hope of seeing her, I suppose. Very likely 
she is engaged to some one else by this time, and 


102 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


is teaching so as to earn enough money to furnish 
her house, after the manner of most country girls. 
How disappointed I am in her. When I first 
knew her I thought her the loveliest girl I had 
ever seen, only that she needed to improve in 
? some things.” 

For the next few days Edna was very nervous 
while at school. She felt afraid all the time that 
Mr. Atherton might come to or pass by the 
school-house, and then sometimes she felt that if 
she could only see him once more she would be 
happy; then again she would scold herself for such 
thoughts and try to think of other things. When 
four o’clock came she would feel relieved, as Lucy 
had left the school-house and her uncle, as Edna 
thought, would have no occasion to call there. 

One warm spring afternoon Edna was locking 
the school-house door when a buggy passed quietly 
by. She was busy with her thoughts and did not 
notice that any one was passing. 

The occupant of the buggy was Ernest Ather- 
ton ; he had occasion to pass that way on his way 
home from a neighboring town. It was nearer 
than the road he had taken to the town, and as he 
knew it would he five o’clock or later before he 
could reach the school-house, he did not expect 
to find Edna there. 

“How nice she looks,” he said to himself as he 
watched the slender figure clad in dark blue 
from head to foot. He gazed after her until she 
was out of sight. “I might have spoken to her 
30 easily. But I am glad, after all, that I did not, 


A COUNTR? GIRL. 


103 


for she certainly saw me that day in the art gal- 
lery and would not speak to me. I do not see 
what I could possibly have done to offend her. I 
am sure I have done nothing wrong that could 
concern her in the least. She must have found 
some one whom she thought suited her better and 
has made up her mind to throw me over with no 
explanation whatever. I suppose she thought 
that was the easiest way of getting rid of me. I 
almost wish, though, that I had called out to her 
just to see how she would act; perhaps she would 
pretend not to know me. What pleasant times 
we would be having together if everything was all 
right between us.” 

The month of May was unusually warm that 
year, and while Edna was glad to have the morn- 
ings and evenings so pleasant, as she could then 
sit in her room, she found the heat in the school- 
room very trying, as she herself felt tired and nerv- 
ous, and the children, too, were very restless. 
She tried to amuse them in various ways between 
their lessons, sometimes by reading pretty stories 
and sometimes by having them all sing little easy 
?ongs. Of course the children enjoyed this, but 
when obliged to study again they were not so in- 
terested and would gaze out of the windows when 
their eyes should have been on their books. 

One evening when Edna was about to escape 
to her room Mr. Pierson said: 

“ Wait a minute, Miss Carey, I want to speak to 
you.” 

Edna set her lamp on the table with a sigh, 


104 


a country ami, 


for she folly expected to hear one of Mr. Pierson^ 
tiresome lectures, hut instead he said : 

“Miss Carey, the neighborhood in general is 
much pleased with the way the school has been 
conducted this year. The children have all 
learned remarkably fast and you have had toler- 
ably good order, so if you want the school another 
year you may have it. To be sure, there were 
some complaints and disputes about school matters 
during the winter, which I told you of at the 
time, you will remember, but they did not amount 
to much. Anyway, folks think you have got 
along remarkably well for a beginner. Now how 
is it with you — want to make a change or not?” 

“No, sir, I think not; but I hardly know what 
to say. I’ll think it over and tell you in the 
morning. ’ ’ 

When she reached her room Edna placed the 
lamp on the bureau and sat down to think the 
matter over. 

“Iam glad he had nothing to complain of. I 
could not think what was coming when he spoke, 
and to tell the truth I am glad he wants me to 
have the school; it looks better to stay in one 
place than to be changing from one place to an- 
other from year to year. But if I come back next 
year everything will be the same as it has been 
this year, and all summer I shall be dreading Mr. 
Pierson’s tiresome talks and those disagreeable 
boys and girls I had this winter. Then, again, I 
might have trouble getting another school, and I 
had trouble enough looking for this one, so on the 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


165 

whole I believe I had better decide to come back.” 
And Edna sighed wearily and began to prepare 
for sleep. “I had meant to read a little in that 
lovely book, but I am so unsettled now there is 
no use in trying to read, for I would not enjoy the 
book.” 

When Friday afternoon came Edna had a very 
pleasant drive home with her mother. Mrs. 
Carey was much pleased to hear that her daughter 
had been asked to take the school again, and 
Edna was always glad to be able to please her 
mother. 

The next afternoon Edna went to call on her 
friend Gertie. She found her at home and very 
busy sweeping. 

She noticed that Gertie looked tired and nerv- 
ous and did not seem at all like herself. 

“How do you do, Gertie?” said Edna. “I see 
you are very busy. Perhaps I can help you?” 

“Oh, no, thank you, Edna; you come to see me 
so seldom that I could not think of letting you 
work when you do come.” 

“Yes, I can help you just as well as not. I will 
dust the rooms you have swept, and when you 
have finished sweeping we can talk, and we can 
talk while we are working, for that matter.” 

“Very well, I’ll hurry all I can,” Gertie 
replied. 

“Well, Gertie, you say I come to see you sel- 
dom, but you forget that you never come to see 
me and that you owe me a call or a visit now ; 
but I thought I would come and see how you are 
getting along.” 


106 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“Yes, I am glad you have come, Edna; you 
must not wait for me, for I never have time to go 
visiting. You see, Saturday mornings I have to 
bake enough to last the week through, besides 
doing a number of other things; then Saturday 
afternoons I have to do my sweeping and mend- 
ing, and when night comes I am so tired I do not 
know what to do.” 

“I should think so. After teaching all the week 
and doing your housework night and morning, I 
should think you would be tired enough. Do 
you mean to try it again next year?” 

“Oh, yes, I guess so. The trustees want me, 
and then it is nice to have the money. We mean 
to earn all we can now while we are young, then 
when we are older we can take life easy.” 

“But you look tired and pale, Gertie; so differ- 
ent from what you used to look. You will be 
glad when summer comes so that you can rest a 
little, will you not?” 

“Yes, I will be glad when school is over, for I 
am rather tired of it; only, you see, at the end of 
the summer there will be no quarter’s salary wait- 
ing for me, and I suppose I shall find plenty of 
work to do all summer and shall be just as tired 
perhaps.” 

“Oh, no, you must not work any more than 
you can help this summer. I am sure you need a 
rest. Come over and see me often and we will 
have some good times such as we used to have.” 

“I’ll try to, Edna, but you can see how it is. I 
shall have more milk and butter to take care of 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


lot 

when the summer comes, and you know that 
keeps one busy; then I shall want to do all my 
winter sewing, for I have very little time for that 
in the winter. It is as much as I can do to 
attend to the school properly and keep the house 
respectable and get enough for we two to eat.” 

“Yes, I see; and really, Gertie, I think you 
have plenty to do without teaching if you just 
attend to your butter-making and the housekeep- 
ing. You will be worn out before you are forty, 
and all for a few more dollars.” 

“There now, Edna, don’t croak. It sounds 
too much like an old maid. I am afraid you were 
cut out for one. Do stop croaking and brighten 
up a little, and you may be able to get a beau, 
after all — who knows? Or would you rather not 
be married and have a house to take care of as I 
have? It really is quite a good deal of trouble, 
and perhaps you are better off as you are ; but I 
must not say that, for I could not get along with- 
out my husband, if we are always so busy we 
scarcely have time to talk to each other.” 

“Of course, I don’t know whether I should 
: prefer to be married or not, but I think it must 
be lovely to have some one to care for one’s self 
alone, and to have a dear little home to care for 
and keep bright and cozy for one’s husband, but 
then, of course, one cannot have everything at 
once, and there are so many unhappy marriages, 
especially among young people, that sometimes I 
think I am well enough off as I am.” 

Gertie laughed as she replied : 


'108 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“Well, 1 am surprised to hear you talk in that 
way, Edna. I really believe you are thinking of 
being married some time, but you must not wear 
such a serious expression all the time, or you will 
frighten all the men away from you.” 

Edna did not like the way in which Gertie 
spoke, but she thought best to take no notice of 
it, and the two continued working until the 
whole house was in order,, then they sat down for 
a social talk, Gertie with her mending basket at 
her side. 

“Do you expect to teach again next year, Edna, 
or have you had enough of it?” 

“Yes, I expect to teach again and at the same 
school. There are some things about it that I do 
not like, still I thought it best not to change or 
I might have more trouble. I get a pretty good 
salary, too, so I have decided to stay where I 
am.” 

“Why, yes, I should think so. As long as they 
want you, you had better stay. You were for- 
tunate to get so good a position, never having 
taught before, and I am sure you would be foolish 
to throw it up without any real cause whatever. 
How is Minnie getting on? I suppose she thinks 
she is nearly ready to teach by this time, does she 
not?” 

“Oh, no, I guess not; but she is doing real well, 

I think. I expect to send her to boarding-school 
somewhere in a few years’ time.” 

“Do you, indeed? Well, that is very kind, I 
am sure, and I think Minnie should appreciate it. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


109 


Very few girls have sisters who will do that for 
them. But I should not he surprised if you 
changed your mind and used the money to furnish 
a house for yourself and husband some time in 
the future.” 

“No, indeed, I would never do that after prom- 
ising Minnie; but, Gertie, let us talk of some- 
thing else. Tell me about your school.” 


(10 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


CHAPTER XIY. 

VACATION. 

EdisTA was both glad and sorry when the last 
day of school came. Glad that her labors were 
over for a little while, and sorry to miss her 
pupils with their bright, merry ways. 

She made a little picnic for them under the 
trees, several of the mothers furnishing the 
cake, as Edna, of course, had no way of doing it 
herself, but she bought a quantity of lemons and 
sugar and made plenty of lemonade ; and to her 
surprise, just as the treat was ready her mother 
arrived with a nice lot of strawberries. Edna 
was as delighted as the children, and they all 
enjoyed themselves heartily until Mrs. Carey re- 
minded Edna that it was getting late and they 
must get ready to go home. 

“It will be so nice when Monday morning 
comes not to be obliged to hurry away to school,” 
said Edna to her mother. 

“Yes, and it will be nice for me to have you at 
home again, for I have missed you so much. Of 
course Minnie and Lottie help me all they can, 
but they are young yet, and so full of their fun 
and frolic that I cannot depend upon them as I 
could on you. Only I must take care not to let 
you do too much, for I think you are looking 
rather pale and thin.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


Ill 


“Oh, there is no danger of my hurting myself, 
mother, and do not speak of my looking pale and 
thin when you think how Gertie looks. Do not 
you think she is working too hard, mother? She 
told me when I was there a few weeks ago that 
she and her husband are so busy that they scarcely 
have time to talk to each other.” 

“Yes, I do think so, and they will both find it 
out to their sorrow. There is no real need of 
their working so hard, and as for their intending 
to rest when they are older, that is all folly. 
They will both go on as they have begun, never 
taking time to enjoy what they have earned, un- 
less they * change their habits while they are 
young. Gertie will be old and broken down be- 
fore her time if she is not careful. Her mother 
says she has tried to talk with her on the subject, 
but Gertie will not listen, so she has decided to let 
her go on as she has begun.” 

“No, there is no use trying to reason with her. 
Gertie never would listen to reason; she always 
had to find things out by experience.” 

When Monday came Edna found herself going 
back to her old ways almost unconsciously. For 
a few days she was too busy to feel lonely, but 
after a time she found herself yearning for some- 
thing — she did not know what. She tried to throw 
her whole mind into her work, but it was of no 
use, she could not help thinking, and thinking 
made her feel miserable. 

One warm June day she had been ironing until 
four o’clock in the afternoon, and although she 


112 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


felt tired, her restlessness was not in the least 
subdued. It was not as though she were in the 
school-room, for then she felt anxious about each 
day’s duties, glad when the day had passed hap- 
pily and successfully, and extremely anxious as to 
the result if things had gone wrong; but now 
there was nothing of that kind to occupy her 
mind, and although she was extremely glad to he 
at home and back to her old ways again, she could 
not help feeling extremely lonely and restless in 
the afternoon. 

On this particular afternoon Minnie came into 
the kitchen just as Edna had put away her iron- 
ing-board and said : 

“Edna, I feel like taking a long walk; come 
with me, won’t you? Lottie is no good at walk- 
ing.” 

“But, Minnie, I have been ironing all day and 
I am so tired.” 

“And I have been in the strawberry patch all 
day, and some of my muscles are tired while 
others are not, and it’s the same with you. By 
the time we are dressed it will be cooler. Let’s 
go to Harrisville and perhaps you will get a let- 
ter.” 

“Very well, I’ll go; it will not hurt me any- 
way.” 

They were soon dressed in cool, pretty ging- 
hams and sauntered slowly along the road, talk- 
ing as they went. After an hour they reached 
Harrisville, and entering the post-office, Edna 
found there were several papers and letters for 
them, 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


113 


“There, now, are you not glad you came?” said 
Minnie. 

“Yes, I am, for here is a letter from Marion,” 
said Edna. 

Minnie made several little purchases, and they 
were about to resume their walk, when a buggy 
passed them and Minnie exclaimed: 

“Why, Edna, there goes Mr. Atherton, and 
what a pretty lady he has with him. Did you 
see her?” 

Of course Edna had seen her. It was the same 
fair-haired girl she had seen with him that day at 
New York. Edna told herself that she did not 
care, and that it made no difference to her whom 
Ernest Atherton had with him or where he was 
going, but at the same time her heart suddenly 
became very heavy and she wished she had not 
come. 

When a little way out of Harrisville they came 
to a large tree, and Minnie proposed that they sit 
down and rest, which Edna was only too glad to 
do. 

“Read me Marion’s letter, Edna,” said Minnie 
coaxingly. 

So Edna opened the letter and read aloud, 
scarcely knowing or caring what she did. 

“Then she is really coming here on Saturday, 
and this is Tuesday. Are you glad, Edna?” 

“Yes, I suppose so.” 

“You suppose so. I am, I know. I am real 
anxious to see her; she must be a nice, friendly 
girl, or young lady, I suppose I must say. I won- 


114 


A COUNTRY 01RL. 


der whether she will bring all her pretty dresses 
with her. I hope she does. I love to look at 
pretty dresses and hats if I cannot always wear 
them.” 

“Are not yonr dresses pretty enough?” asked 
Edna, trying to smile. 

“Oh, mamma thinks they are nice enough for 
a girl of my age. Anyway, they are as nice as 
she can afford, hut, Edna, there is my last sum- 
mer’s dress, which is too short for me and which 
you said you thought you could make oyer. Do 
you think you can get it done this week?” 

“I don’t know — I’ll try. You do not think you 
will need it on account of Marion’s coming, do 
you?” 

“Oh, I might need it. We shall want to take 
Marion around to different places while she is 
here, and I shall want to wear it then.” 

“Why not wear the one you have on?” said 
Edna, smiling. 

“Because this is only a gingham, and I shall 
want something a little nicer while she is here.” 

“Well, I’ll see what I can do; but it is time 
we started for home now. Mother will be looking 
for us.” 

That evening at the supper-table Minnie said : 

“Papa, guess who we saw at Harrisville this 
afternoon.” 

“I am sure I cannot tell, my dear; some boy or 
girl that you had not seen since school closed, I 
suppose.” 

“Oh, no, indeed. It was Mr. Atherton; and he 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


115 


had the prettiest young lady with him. I should 
like to know who she was.” 

Edna felt as if she would like to box Minnie’s 
ears for bringing up the subject, and thought of 
leaving the table, then concluded she had better 
sit still. 

Mr. Carey asked Minnie several questions, to 
which she was only too glad to reply. Then Mrs. 
Carey changed the subject by saying: 

“Edna expects company on Saturday.” 

“Who is it?” asked Arthur. 

“Marion Grant,” said Minnie. “I am so glad 
she is coming — that is, I will be glad if you will 
not make Lottie and I help hoe while she is here.” 

“Why not? She is not coming to see you,” 
said Arthur. 

“I know she is not, but I expect to enjoy hav- 
ing her here quite as much as Edna, only I 
should feel so mortified if I had to go in the field 
before her.” 

“If you are going to put on such airs, Edna 
had better write and ask her not to come.” 

“Edna won’t do it, so you needn’t ask her. 
All you have to do about the matter is to clean 
your buggy nicely and be prepared to take her 
for a drive on Sunday afternoon.” 

The others all laughed at this, but Arthur did 
not reply. 

The rest of the week Edna was too busy to 
think much in the day-time, but sometimes at 
night she lay awake long after the others were 
asleep, and the consequence was that she became 
very pale and thin. 


116 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


She told Minnie that if she wished to have her 
dres3 done by Saturday she must help with the 
housework more than usual. 

“Oh, yes, I’ll work as hard as I can, both in- 
doors and out, these four days, if you will only fix 
over my dress and make it look pretty.” 

When Saturday came Minnie worked harder 
than ever, so that Edna might finish the dress, 
which she had had a great deal of trouble with. 

Late in the afternoon Edna laid the dress down 
with a weary sigh and said : 

“There, the dress is done at last and looks very 
nicely too, I think. Now you may put it on and 
we will go to Harrisville to meet Marion.” 

“Oh, may I really go with you? How kind 
you are to me, Edna; but perhaps I had better 
not go, for Lottie and mamma will have so much 
to do.” 

“Oh, yes, go on; I don’t care,” said Lottie 
good-naturedly. 

When they returned Mrs. Carey and Lottie 
had everything in readiness for them. Lottie 
had taken particular pains with the table and 
everything looked as nice as they could make it. 

Every one was in good spirits all the evening. 
Even Edna resolved to be bright and lively for 
Marion’s sake, for she feared she might feel em- 
barrassed among so many strangers. 

Minnie, however, did not leave her to herself 
long enough to cause her to feel lonely or embar- 
rassed. She was continually asking her some 
question or relating some little incident that had 
happened to her or to Lottie. 
i 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


117 


Marion stayed a week with her new friends and 
they all enjoyed the visit, particularly Minnie, 
although she was so much younger than Marion. 

They took walks and drives and made little ex- 
cursions to the few places of interest in the neigh- 
borhood, Minnie always going and nearly always 
patting into some mischief. She was greatly re- 
lieved that she was not called upon to help in the 
field the whole week, although Arthur mortified 
her pride very much by frequently telling her 
not to expect to go anywhere that morning or 
afternoon, as they could not possibly get along 
in the field without her. 

“Is not Arthur mean, mamma? He knows I 
did not want Marion to know that Lottie and I 
have to help in the field, and he keeps talking 
of it before her just on purpose.” 

“You must not get so angry, Minnie. I am 
sure Miss Grant will notice that far more than 
she would your working in the field.” 

The week soon passed and Marion returned to 
her city home to make preparations for a trip to 
the mountains. 

“What nice times she must have,” said Minnie 
oO Edna when their friend had gone. “Don’t 
you wish you could have as good times, Edna?” 

“What do you mean by her good times, Min- 
nie? Do not you and Lottie and your friends 
have good times?” 

“Oh, yes, to be sure, but I think it must be so 
nice to travel as Marion does. How grand it 
must be to go to the mountains or to the seashore 


118 A COUNTRY GIRL. 

every summer. Should not you like it yourself, 
Edna?” 

“Yes, very much indeed. When you have be- 
gun teaching you and I can take a nice little trip 
somewhere every summer, so make haste and get 
ready.” 

“Oh, that will he grand; but, Edna, I never 
said I meant to he a teacher.” 

“I know you have not said so, but why do you 
wish to be sent away to school if you do not wish 
to prepare for teaching?” 

“Well, you see, I want to have a good time, and, 
Edna, I want to grow up a lady and have such 
pretty, refined manners and dress so nicely and 
talk so entertainingly that all the gentlemen will 
admire me and want to marry me; then I can 
choose whom I want.” 

“Why, Minnie, such notions as you have taken 
into that head of yours. Is not mother refined 
and ladylike? You would do well to pattern after 
her.” 

“Oh, yes, of course mother is a lady, but there 
are different kinds of ladies, I suppose.” 

“You do not wish to be a flirt, do you, Min- 
nie?” 

“A flirt! No, indeed. A flirt is not a lady. 
Never you mind, Edna, you do not understand. 
Just wait till I am about twenty-two and you will 
see the most charming young lady in the land.” 

“I am sure I hope you will be charming, but I 
do not know whether you are taking the right 
way to become so or not.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


119 


“Oh, yes, I am, Edna. Just you hurry up and 
get money enough to send me to school, and I’ll 
repay you in some way when I am older.” 

Edna kept herself very busy all summer long 
until about the middle of August. She looked so 
nearly worn out that her mother insisted that she 
should go somewhere for a rest. 

“Oh, mother, I am no more tired than the rest 
of you, but I’ll tell you what I should like to do, 
and that is take Minnie and Lottie to Ocean Grove 
or Asbury Park for a few days or a week.” 

“That would be very pleasant for them, I am 
sure, hut Minnie is such a wild, troublesome girl 
when she is excited that I am afraid if you took 
her you would come home more tired than when 
you went. I’ll make her stay home with me 
and you can take Lottie; she would be no trouble, 
I am sure.” 

“Oh, mother, Lottie would never consent to 
that; she would feel so badly over Minnie’s disap- 
pointment that she would not wish to go, and 
would not enjoy herself if she did go.” 

“But I do not think you should take Minnie. 
It is enough that you are saving your money to 
send her to school.” 

“Oh, well, I’ll take them both anyway, and if 
Minnie does not behave herself I’ll send her 
home before the week is out.” 

When Minnie heard of the plan she was nearly 
wild with joy and could scarcely control herself, 
so great was her excitement, until finally Mr. 
Carey told her that if she could not be a little 
more quiet she should not go at all. 


120 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 

“And mind what I tell yon, if Edna tells me of 
any foolish actions on yonr part when she comes 
home, I shall punish you severely. ” 

This frightened Minnie, as her father seldom 
noticed her faults or foolish ways. 

“Why, I mean to behave properly. What 
makes you all think that I will not?” 

“We have all seen your capers when we have 
had you out at different places,” said Arthur. 

“Oh, Minnie will behave nicely, I am sure. 
Do let her go, papa,” said Lottie. 

Edna’s friend, Ethel Grey, recommended to 
Edna a nice quiet place at a private house, and a 
few days later the three sisters found themselves 
at Asbury Park in a nice quiet little home. 

The first day Minnie conducted herself in a 
very quiet and orderly manner, hut the next day 
when they went down to the beach she became 
tired of sitting watching the waves, as Edna and 
Lottie were so fond of doing, and wandered off 
by herself. 

Edna became engrossed in conversation with a 
lady sitting near her, and forgot all about Minnie 
until it was time to return to the house for sup- 
per. She looked around expecting to find her 
close at hand, but to her dismay she was nowhere 
in sight. 

“Oh, dear, Lottie, what shall we do? I ought 
to have watched her more closely, but I never 
thought of her going far. I do hope she is not 
lost, for then we shall never find her.” 

“She cannot have gone far. But there are so 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


121 


many people here, Edna, we might not see her if 
she was quite near ns. Let us both look real 
sharply and we shall soon find her, I feel sure. 
Perhaps she has gone to one of those pavilions 
where they have the music. Let us go and see.” 

They walked slowly along for some time, look- 
ing to the right and left, hut no sign of Minnie 
did they see. When they came to the pavilion 
Lottie said: 

“Let us go in here, Edna; I think it very likely 
she may be here.” 

“I do hope she is, for if she is lost I do not 
know what we shall do.” 

After searching for several minutes more Lottie 
exclaimed : 

“There she is now, talking to that young man. 
Who can he be, Edna?’ 

“Oh, dear, I don’t know. I almost wish we 
had left her at home, after all.” 

Edna walked straight up to where Minnie was 
sitting and said : 

“Come, Minnie, it is quite time we were on 
our way to the house,” not deigning to notice the 
young man with whom she was talking. 

Minnie rose somewhat reluctantly, and bidding 
“good-by” to her companion, walked along with 
Lottie, not noticing Edna, who began scolding 
her soundly. 

“Whatever possessed you to go off like that with 
a stranger?” continued Edna, resolving to get at 
the root of the matter at once. 

“Nothing possessed me. I did nothing wrong, 
I am sure. I can’t see what you are so angry 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


m 


about. I was only enjoying myself; and so were 
you when I left you. And when you began talk- 
ing with that lady and took no further notice of 
me I walked off a little way by myself ; then that 
young man came along and talked so nicely that 
I walked off a little way with him. There was no 
harm in that, and I am sure you needn’t make 
such a fuss about it.” 

“Not make a fuss about it!” exclaimed Edna. 
“I do not know what to say to you. I thought 
you were old enough to know better than that, 
and after all mamma and papa said to you before 
we left home, too. Why cannot you behave 
yourself nicely and quietly, as Lottie does?” 

“Oh, well, Lottie is a quiet, sober thing like 
yourself. She doesn’t care whether she has any 
fun or not.” 

“Is that true, Lottie?” asked Edna. 

“No, not all of it. I do love fun dearly, but 
perhaps not in the same way that Minnie does.” 

Edna did not know what else to say to Minnie, 
and decided to let the matter drop until she 
should reach home. 

The remainder of the week passed happily to 
Edna. She enjoyed seeing her sisters happy, 
although she felt a little anxious about Minnie 
occasionally, but she enjoyed watching and talk- 
ing to the ladies and children she met on the 
beach. 

On Saturday Arthur came and spent Sunday, 
which they all enjoyed, excepting perhaps Min- 
nie, who was afraid that Edna would tell Arthur 


A COUNTRY OIRL. 


123 


of her little escapade, but Edna thought best not 
to speak of it only to her mother. 

As soon as they reached home Edna began her 
preparations for school rather sorrowfully, for she 
disliked going back to listen to Mr. Pierson’s 
harangues. 


I 


124 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER XV. 

THE MEETING. 

When the first Monday in September came 
Edna disliked going back very much, but she 
resolved to throw her whole heart into her work 
and so forget to be lonely or homesick. She had 
formed several new plans for her school work and 
tried her best to think of nothing but teaching. 

The month of September was very warm that 
year, and Edna often sat in the school-room for 
awhile to rest after school was out. 

One sultry afternoon she sat at her desk with 
an interesting book before her. She read for a 
long time, then feeling very warm and tired she 
laid her head on the desk and slept. 

Suddenly the sky became very dark and threat- 
ening, but Edna knew nothing of it: she slept on. 
In a few minutes the rain came, and with it such 

loud clap of thunder that Edna roused up and 
ooked around her in dismay. It was useless to 
try to get home ; she must wait until the shower 
was over. 

She sat gazing out of the window, when sud- 
denly she was startled by the sound of footsteps, 
and some one sprang into the room. 

“Oh!” exclaimed Edna. 

“Do not be frightened. I was caught in the 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


125 


shower and came here for shelter,” said a familiar 
voice. 

4 4 Oh, Mr. Atherton, I did not know it was 
you,” said Edna, who was so frightened she 
scarcely knew what she was saying. 

“I am very sorry I frightened you, hut I am 
glad to know that you will speak to me, Miss 
Carey. The la&t few times we met you would 
not deign to do so.” 

“Oh, but, Mr. Atherton, you forget I had good 
reason for not speaking to you, and you must 
remember that you would not speak to me, 
either.” 

“Of course I would not when you showed me 
so plainly that you wished to have nothing more 
to do with me.” 

4 4 Well, why should I not feel so when you 
ceased writing to me so suddenly, without any 
explanation whatever?” said Edna passionately. 

“What do you mean, Edna, darling? I think 
it was you who stopped writing first, was it not?” 

“No, sir, you know better!” exclaimed Edna, 
her cheeks flushing and her eyes flashing angrily. 
“You stopped writing to me because you be- 
came tired of me, and you had not honor enough 
to send me an explanation of any kind, and you 
have fallen in love with a pretty city girl, and 
you presume to come in here and call me darling ! 
You think that because I am a country girl you 
may say anything you please to me, but you are 
mistaken. I will have none of your impudence, 
and you may as well understand it at once.” 


126 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


“Edna! Edna! why do you speak so angrily? I 
do not understand you at all. Will you not listen 
to me?” said he as Edna turned away and would not 
answer. “Edna, tell me what you mean. Who 
has been talking to you? I am not in love with 
any one but yourself, and I have thought all this 
time that you had grown tired of me, and that 
you must be engaged to some young man in the 
country. How should I think anything else, 
when you did not answer my last letter, and when 
you would not speak to me when you chanced to 
meet me? And, Edna, what did you mean by 
telling my little niece not to mention my name to 
you? I did not know what to think of such 
strange conduct as that.” 

“Did Lucy tell you that?” 

“No, she did not tell me. No one thought it 
worth while to tell me anything. I overheard her 
telling her mother.” 

“Well, then, Mr. Atherton, if you are not en- 
gaged, who was that young lady I have seen you 
with several times, and with whom you were 
intimate enough to cause people to think you 
were lovers?” 

“Why, Edna, that is my half-sister, if you 
mean the girl with fair hair whom you saw with 
me at New York that time. She is indeed a 
pretty girl, and I am always glad to have her 
with me, as she is very sweet and pleasant.” 

“I did not know you had a half-sister.” 

“No, of course you did not. How could you 
know it? You never have taken interest enough 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


127 


in me to ask after my relatives. And since you 
have ceased to write to me I suppose there was no 
opportunity for you to learn anything about them, 
and indeed I suppose you did not care to.” 

“I don’t know whether I cared or not. I am 
sure I tried not to.” 

“Did you? You poor child,” said he, smiling. 
“There seems to have been some terrible mis- 
understanding about our letters. You think 
that you wrote last and I am quite sure that I 
did. I remember the last one I wrote. It was 
one morning in January. A friend called to see 
me and I requested him to post it for me, as I 
was very busy that morning.” 

“Then he forgot to mail it,” said Edna. 

“What makes you think so?” 

“Because it was about that time that I was ex- 
pecting a letter from you and it never came.” 

“Then that is just what has caused all the 
trouble between us. Can you forgive me, Edna, 
darling?” 

“I have nothing to forgive. It was not your 
fault. We were never anything more than 
friends anyway,” said Edna, blushing. “The 
shower is over now and I must go, or the Piersons 
will be anxious about me.” 

“No, indeed, I cannot let you go yet. Tell 
me, Edna, do you not love me a little, or have you 
quite learned to hate me during our long silence?” 

“Oh, no, I do not hate you; I have no cause 
to. You only proposed to correspond with me in 
a friendly way and I, like a foolish, ignorant girl, 


128 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


was only too glad to do so. But we are both 
older and wiser now, and the less there is said on 
the subject the better.” 

“Edna, how can you be so cruel? Do tell me 
that you love me a little. I love you with my 
whole heart, and have been most miserably un- 
happy this long while.” 

“I am sorry if I have been the cause of your 
unhappiness, but I really cannot stop to talk 
longer with you, Mr. Atherton. I must be going 
home.” 

“No, darling, I cannot let you go yet. Not 
till you say that you love me.” 

“Well, then, Mr. Atherton, I love you, ” said 
Edna teasingly. 

He threw his arms around her and Edna leaned 
her head on his shoulder. 

At last it began to grow dark and he wanted to 
walk home with her, but she would not permit 
him. 

She found the Piersons waiting supper for her, 
and after explaining that she had waited in the 
school-house until the shower was over, she ate 
her supper in silence, then went to her room, 
where she sat the whole evening thinking her' 
own happy thoughts. 

She could scarcely wait for Friday to come, so 
anxious was she to tell her mother what had hap- 
pened to her. 

Of course Mrs. Carey was surprised and pleased, 
and rather sorry too at the prospect of losing 
Edna, 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


129 


“Ernest is coming to our house to-morrow, 
mother, to stay over night and spend Sunday 
with us.” 

“But why is he here over Sunday? Is he not 
preaching now?” 

“Oh, yes, but this is his vacation. Shall you 
not be glad to see him, mother?” 

“Why, yes. I suppose I ought not feel sorry. 
I’ll try not to feel so, at any rate, since you are 
so happy over it.” 

“Shall you tell father or let Ernest tell him 
himself?” 

“Oh, I’ll tell him first. It would never do not 
to. We will not say anything to the girls yet, for 
Minnie would be so excited when he arrives that I 
should not know what to do with her. I am sure 
I do not know what is to become of her, anyway, 
she is always getting into some scrape or other.” 

And Mrs. Carey began to relate some fresh dis- 
aster that had befallen Minnie at school, which 
was entirely lost on Edna, who was so wrapped in 
her own thoughts as to be oblivious of everything 
else. 

Edna was so bright and happy all that Saturday 
morning that even Lottie declared that something 
unusual must have occurred. 

But when Mr. Atherton arrived in the after- 
noon, Minnie and Lottie had gone to the orchard 
to help Arthur pick some fruit and did not appear 
until supper-time. 

Ernest, as Edna now called him, drove until 
•within sight of the house, then sent the horse and 


130 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


driver back while he went to the field to have a 
talk with Mr. Carey. It was evidently satisfac- 
tory, for he looked very happy, Edna thought, 
when she met him at the front door. When the 
two girls returned from the orchard, Minnie ex- 
claimed: 

“Have we company to supper, mamma, or why 
have you put on the best china?” 

“Yes, there is company here, my dear. Now 
make haste and tidy yourself, for everything is 
ready.” 

“Do tell me who it is, mamma, won’t you? Is 
it any one I know?” 

“You will know soon enough,” her mother re- 
plied. 

Minnie ran up to her room, and when she re- 
turned they were all seated at the table but her- 
self, and she glanced carelessly around to see who 
the “company” might be. 

“Why, it’s Mr. Atherton,” she exclaimed, to 
that gentleman’s amusement and her mother’s in- 
dignation. 

Then as she sat down at the table she had a 
glimpse of a beautiful ring of pearls and diamonds 
on Edna’s finger, and directly nudged Lottie and 
said in a loud whisper : 

“Look at Edna’s ring. What is going to hap- 
pen next, I wonder?” 

At which Edna blushed deeply and every one 
else laughed. 

As soon as supper was over Minnie exclaimed : 

“Are we going to have a wedding here, 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


131 


mamma? Oh, do tell me wlien. I am just crazy 
to know.” 

“I do not know when, Minnie, and I wish you 
would not behave so. Are you so anxious to see 
the last of your sister?” 

“Oh, no, mamma, certainly not; but I think it 
would be delightful to have a wedding, and it 
will be so nice to go and visit her in her own 
home. I hope she will not have a little shanty 
like Gertie, but a nice large one, such as Edna 
deserves.” 

“Mr. Atherton will see to all that, I dare say,” 
said Lottie, who was busily drying dishes. 

“Well, I hope he sees about it soon. I mean to 
ask him where it is to be and tell him to furnish 
it handsomely, as Edna has always admired hand- 
some furniture.” 

“Oh, Minnie, what a chatterbox you are. Why 
can you not learn to be a little more modest and 
retiring? I cannot think what is best to do with 
you unless I send you to some old maid’s school 
where they will be so severe with you as to take 
all the w~ildness and foolishness out of you.” 

“Well, so long as there were plenty of girls 
there, mamma, I should manage to get along in 
spite of the old maids.” 

“Don’t say anything against old maids, for I 
mean to be one and stay at home with mamma all 
my life,” said Lottie. 


132 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE WEDDING. 

That school year was a much happier one to 
Edna than the previous one had been. She conld 
not see Ernest very often, but he would some- 
times come to her home on Friday evening and 
remain on Saturday. 

She had promised him that she would marry 
him the following June, so her evenings at home 
were necessarily busy ones, particularly as Minnie 
was to be sent to school in September. She did 
not now feel unhappy over her school affairs, for 
she knew that she would soon be through with 
them, and wisely resolved to do her best while in 
school and not worry over it afterward. 

In the evening, while busy over some piece of 
fancy work which was to adorn her future home, 
she would dream of that home, planning how the 
different rooms should look when it was all fur- 
nished and ready for herself and husband. 

And so the winter passed quickly and happily 
away, and when the warm spring days came 
Edna found herself looking forward rather nerv- 
ously and eagerly to the great event of her life. 

School closed early in May. This gave Edna 
plenty of time to get her dresses made, as the 
wedding did not take place until the 16 th of June. 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


133 


She had many long talks with her mother dur- 
ing these last days, which were a comfort to them 
both. Edna also had many talks with Minnie, 
which had very little weight with her, as she was 
nearly as much interested in and far more excited 
over the approaching wedding than Edna was 
herself. 

“Just think, Lottie,” she exclaimed one day. 
“We are really going to have a wedding here in 
our own house. Won’t it be fun? It’s a wonder 
papa will allow it, isn’t it?” 

“Oh, I don’t know. What makes you think 
that?” 

“Because he never wants us to have any excite- 
ment — parties and such things, you know. And I 
am just crazy for them all the time. I hope he 
will feel differently when I am a young lady.” 

“Papa is aways glad to have us enjoy ourselves, 
though, and you know mamma says too much ex- 
citement is not good for school-girls.” 

“I know she says so, and I think there is very 
little danger of our having too much of it. Any- 
way, I am glad we are to have a wedding here, 
and I do think it a wonder that papa did not tell 
Edna and Ernest Atherton that they might go to 
the church and get married and have no fuss 
about it.” 

“Minnie, what are you talking about?” said 
Edna, coming up behind them. 

“Oh, I was just saying how glad I am that 
there is to be a wedding here, and that it is a 
wonder that papa consented to it.” 


134 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


“How would you and Lottie like to be brides- 
maids ?” asked Edna. 

‘Oh, I should like it so much,” said Minnie, 
clapping her hands. “But what shall we wear, 
Edna? White dresses like yours ?” 

“We will see about the dresses this afternoon. 
Now both of you get your hats and come and 
take a walk with me, for I shall not have time 
after to-day. ” 

“Are you sorry, Edna?” asked Lottie. 

“Sorry on some accounts,” said Edna, smiling. 
“Shall you be sorry to have me go?” 

“Yes, very; but you will come home often, 
won’t you, Edna?” 

“As often as I can after we are settled in our 
home, but you know that will not be for some 
time yet. But as soon as I have everything in 
order in the house I shall want you both to 
come and make me a long visit.” 

“Oh, that will be splendid, only Minnie will 
be at school,” said Lottie. 

“So she will; but never mind — she can come 
during her vacation.” 

“What a nice, easy time you will have, Edna. 
People in the city never have much to do, do 
they?” said Minnie. 

“Some of them do; I expect to be very busy. 
Let us sit down here under this tree.” 

“Why, what will there be for you to do, Edna? 
No hard work, surely. You can take piano 
lessons and practice three or four hours a day 
and become a fine player, then you can read all 


A COUNTRY CTRL. 


185 


the nice books yon feel like reading and go visit- 
ing, and lots of nice easy things you will be able to 
do ; for you see there will be but two of you, and 
there will be no churning to do, and no milk and 
butter to take care of, no poultry to run after 
when it rains. Oh, there are lots of things you 
will not have to do.” 

Edna smiled as she replied : 

“You forget, Minnie, that I am to be a minis- 
ter’s wife, and they are generally kept pretty 
busy.” 

“I don’t see why they should be. I am sure 
I would not work hard if I was a minister’s 
wife.” 

The days passed all too quickly, Edna thought, 
and the wedding-day arrived. 

Minnie was the first one up that morning, and 
she ran and knocked at Edna’s door, exclaiming: 

“Come, Edna, it’s going to be a perfect day, 
and it’s quite time you were awake.” 

The marriage was to take place at two o’clock 
and at one the guests began to arrive. 

The first to arrive were Marion and Allan Grant, 
from New York, the latter having quite forgot- 
ten his promise to visit Edna in the spring. 

At last the guests were all there and Marion 
was playing the wedding-march. Of course the 
bride and bridesmaids looked very lovely, dressed 
in white, and the bridegroom very handsome and 
manly. 

The parlor and halls were decorated with 
flowers and looked as pretty as loving hands could 
make them. 


136 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


Every one looked as bright as possible, as Edna 
had expressed a wish that no tears be shed at her 
wedding. Gertie of course was there, and kept 
telling her friends and acquaintances how aston- 
ished she was when she received the invitation to 
Edna’s wedding. 

“It was the first I had heard of it, and to think 
of her marrying a minister, too. You cannot 
think how surprised I was. I had always thought 
that Edna would never marry.” 

“What reason had you for tnmJring that?” 
said another. “Edna is young yet, and I am 
sure has always been a real sweet, kind girl, both 
at home and when she was in company, that is, at 
socials, etc.” 

“Oh, yes, of course; but Edna seemed not to 
care to talk to any of the young men or to care 
anything about them.” 

“You mean that she has always been very 
modest and ladylike and has always chosen good 
company, and I am very glad she has such an ex- 
cellent man for a husband. I am sure that she 
will make a good wife, and will take good care of 
her home and make it a bright and happy one. 
I have always thought that you and Edna were 
fond of each other.” 

“Why, so we are,” said Gertie. “We were 
scarcely ever separated from each other when we 
were girls at school, but since then I have been 
so very busy most of the time, especially since I 
have been married, that I find very little time for 
visiting.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


137 


“You used to find time to visit me when you 
were in my Sunday-school class, but I have missed 
you of late. Edna, however, always found time 
to visit me occasionally, even since she has been 
teaching.” 

“Yes, so she has told me; but then she was not 
keeping house, too, as I am. Sometimes my hus- 
band and I think we will go and visit a friend of 
an evening; then we will work so hard during the 
day that when night comes we do not feel like 
going anywhere, for you know when men have 
been working very hard they generally feel cross ; 
my husband does, anyway. Sometimes nothing I 
can do will suit him. He will find fault with 
everything in and about the house. It is very 
trying, too, when I have been working so hard 
myself.” 

“Yes, my dear Gertie, I suppose it is; but do 
you think you do right to absent yourself from 
home all day for the sake of the money you earn 
at teaching school? Do you not think that you 
neglect your home, which you, of course, cannot 
attend to properly and your school too?” 

“Why, I don’t know, Mrs. Marvin; I had not 
thought so. You see, I get up very early and do 
a good deal before I go; then when I come home 
I go right to work; then after supper I generally 
have some school work to attend to. I try to do 
a little mending then, too, but of course there are 
some little things that have to go undone. But I 
am sure my husband should not complain of that 
when I am doing so much all the time, do you 
think so?” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


188 


“I think, my dear, that you have been attempt- 
ing too much, and that is the cause of your 
trouble. Why, if you were at home all day and 
just attended to your home work properly, that 
would keep you pretty busy. Then you might 
find some time for mental improvement — say an 
hour at least in the afternoon ; then in the even- 
ing you and your husband could read and talk of 
your reading, and you do not have time for that 
now, do you?” 

“No, Mrs. Marvin; but you see we are both 
trying to make all the money we can now, then 
when we are older we will have leisure to enjoy 
what we have earned; besides, I want to get a 
great many pretty things for the house yet. And 
you know I could not get them very well unless I 
earned some money myself . 5 ’ 

“Of course it is very nice to have money, 
Gertie, but a home can be made very pretty and 
attractive without so much money being ex- 
pended for it all the time. And I am afraid that 
you and your husband will both become so fond 
of money-getting that after awhile you will care 
for nothing else, and will both become old before 
your time, and feel cross and impatient with each 
other and everything else.” 

“Oh, no, I hope not,” laughed Gertie. 

“Suppose you try my plan for this one year. 
Come over and take tea with me one day next 
week and we will have a nice long talk as we 
used to do so long ago, as it seems to me.” 

“Well, I’ll come if I can, but I am picking 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


139 


strawberries for Mr. Brown, who lives next ns, you 
know, and I cannot tell whether we will pick 
every day. And then about the school : there is 
no use in our talking that plan over, for I have 
already promised to take the school.” 

“Have you? Well, I am sorry, but come and 
see me anyway.” 

All this took place while the bride and bride- 
groom were chatting with their many friends, 
and presently Gertie approached her friend and 
after wishing her all joy and happiness said: 

“Edna, tell me where you are going for your 
wedding-trip. You know we used to tell each 
other everything when we were girls, and to 
think that you never told me you were to be 
married.” 

“Certainly I will tell you, dear Gertie. We 
are" going to Europe for three months.” 

“To Europe! Oh, Edna, that is what you 
used to say at school, that you would go to Europe 
on your wedding-trip, but I never dreamed of 
your doing it. What a delightful time you will 
have.” 

“Yes, I hope so; still I feel a little sorry to 
leave all my friends. But then I dare say the 
time will pass so quickly that I will be at home 
again before one has time to miss me. And, 
Gertie, you must not feel hurt that I did not tell 
you of my intended marriage, for I told very few 
friends, as I wanted to surprise them. Of course 
all the family knew it and a few of my friends 
almost as soon as I did. But you know, Gertie, 


140 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


you have not come to see me at all of late, and 
took so little interest in my affairs that I did not 
know whether you would care to hear of what I 
was about to do, and you know, Gertie, you did 
not tell me when you were going to be married.” 

' And Edna smiled a little reprovingly. 

“I know it, Edna, but I thought I would not 
like to have any one looking At me, and I did 
not tell any one at home because we were afraid 
mother would object, so we told no one at all. I 
have often wished since that we had had a wed- 
ding, since it was the only time that either of us 
ever expected to be married, and we might as well 
have had a good time while we were about it, but 
it’s too late to think of that now,” said Gertie 
with a sigh. 

4 ‘Yes, I would not worry over that now, Gertie, 
but I want you to promise me that when I am 
settled in my own home you will not be too busy 
to come and make me a visit.” 

“Oh, I should like to so much, Edna, and I 
will if I can. You are going to live in the city, 
are you not?” 

! “Yes. We expect to be home about the middle 
of September, come here for a couple of weeks, 
then we will begin furnishing and arranging our 
new home. I hope to have it all in order before 
cold weather comes. You know how I love 
warmth and comfort, Gertie. Well, all next win- 
ter I expect to live as warm and cozy as possible.” 

“You think so now, Edna, but wait. Things 
are different sometimes after marriage to what 
they were before, when one only talked of them.” 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


141 


“Why, Gertie, do not try to discourage me 
now on my wedding-day/’ said Edna, laughing. 

In the course of the afternoon the bride and 
groom were taken to the depot and the guests 
dispersed. When they were all gone Arthur 
said: 

“Well, Minnie, did you enjoy yourself as much 
as you expected to?” 

“Oh, yes, indeed. I had a lovely time and am 
so sorry it is over. Doesn’t the house seem quiet 
now to what it was when they were all here? 

“And look at the loads of dishes to be washed, 
and all the nice food that’s left. Mamma, we 
should have a picnic to-morrow for all the boys 
and girls in the neighborhood,” said Lottie. 

Mr. and Mrs. Atherton took the train for New 
York, where they spent the night, and the next 
day at noon sailed for Europe. 


142 


A COUNTRY GIRL . 


CHAPTER XVII. 

EDNA’S NEW HOME. 

The middle of September soon came, and Edna 
found herself in her father’s house once more, 
having had a mpst delightful wedding-trip. She 
had come home just in time to see Minnie start 
for school at a town some miles distant. She was 
to come home once a month. This plan pleased 
Mrs. Carey, as she felt that she had not lost en- 
tire control of her. Minnie had started in great 
glee with her friend, both expecting to have de- 
lightful times. 

Lottie still attended the little district school at 
Blackberry Hollow, and Edna found time during 
the day for nice long talks with her mother. 

The first of October Ernest came for her, and 
she went back with him to begin in earnest the 
furnishing of the home she had so often dreamed 
of. 

She was obliged to spend a few weeks with her 
husband at his boarding-house, where she was 
very kindly received, and was of course intro- 
duced to his friend, who had been unable to attend 
the wedding and who had expressed great curi- 
osity to see her. 

The day after her arrival Ernest took her to see 
the home he had chosen. Edna of course ad- 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


143 


mired it, as it was a large brownstone house on 
the outskirts of the city. 

The inside was already beautifully papered and 
painted, and the next thing to be done was to 
select the carpets. So they went to New York, 
where they spent the day selecting carpets and 
rugs for the different rooms. 

When that was done they both felt quite tired 
out and were glad to return to their boarding- 
house, which was home for the present. On the 
way home Edna said : 

‘‘Ernest, I am afraid you could not afford to pay 
all the money that house must have cost. I 
admire it very much and am glad it is so hand- 
some, but I am afraid you could not afford it.” 

“Do not worry your wise little head about 
that,” Ernest replied, smiling. “I will tell you 
how I came to buy that house, Edna. Several 
years ago an uncle of mine, for whom I was 
named, left me quite a fortune on the condition 
that a certain part of it be expended for a home 
of my own. He was a great home body himself 
and thought a great deal of improving and 
beautifying his home. And knowing how fond 
you are of beautiful places, I bought that, think- 
ing it would please you.” 

“Oh, I am so glad; but suppose your congrega- 
tion should become tired of you and desire a 
change: what will you do then?” 

“I am certain of staying there for several years 
and perhaps for the rest of my life.” 

The next day they spent selecting furniture, 
another day pictures, etc. 


144 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


Ernest had his study upstairs, but Edna told 
him how anxious she had always been to own a 
library, and the pleasantest room downstairs was 
chosen for that. 

Edna furnished this room herself and thought 
it the prettiest room in the whole house. She 
had a soft dark carpet on the floor and handsome 
red curtains at the windows, and of course numer- 
ous bookcases, and a beautiful little writing-desk 
for her own use ; a long writing-desk and several 
luxurious chairs, beautiful paintings, and every- 
thing she could think of to make the room 
attractive. 

She did not fill all the bookcases at once, but 
left them to be filled as she felt she needed the 
books. 

When the whole house was in perfect order 
Edna invited her mother to spend a week with 
her, and this, of course, was a great pleasure to 
them both. All her former friends came at dif- 
erent times and were entertained in the most 
hospitable manner. Even Gertie came, and was 
so overwhelmed with Edna’s home and surround- 
ings that she told Edna she could scarcely believe 
her eyes. When winter came Edna had become 
quite accustomed to her new surroundings, and 
loved to tell Ernest how much more comfortable 
her steam-heated home was than Mrs. Pierson’s 
usually cold and cheerless one. 

She soon became acquainted in her husband’s 
congregation and gave him all the assistance in 
her power. There were poor and sick people to 


A COUNTRY GIRL. 


145 


visit and many other duties to attend to, but 
Edna always found time to attend to the home 
duites as well. There were servants to do the 
work for her, hut she found many little things to 
attend to which no one could do hut herself. 

She made many dear friends who said that her 
home was the most pleasant to visit of any they 
knew, but she never forgot her old friends and 
invited them to visit her quite frequently. 

Sometimes of a cold winter’s morning, while 
Edna was dressing in her cozy dressing-room, she 
would think of many a cold morning a year ago, 
when she was obliged to start for a rather dismal 
little school-house through a storm perhaps and 
mud, etc., and wonder who was in her old place at 
Mrs. Pierson’s, and would look around her with a 
prayer of thanksgiving in her heart to God for 
having granted her heart’s desire, a beautiful 
home of her own. 



















































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